St. Peter's Church
The church of ST. PETER consists of chancel, 23 ft. 9
in. by 15 ft. 6 in. with chapel on the north side, 12 ft. 9 in. by
13 ft.; clerestoried nave, 38 ft. by 18 ft. 9 in., north and south
aisles, 10 ft. 2 in. and 11 ft. 2 in. wide respectively, south
porch, and west tower 11 ft. by 10 ft., all these measurements
being internal. The width across nave and aisles is 44 ft. 9
in.
The walling generally is of roughly coursed undressed limestone
mingled with local ironstone, but the latter alone is used in the
tower. The chancel and chapel have modern high-pitched overhanging
tiled roofs, but elsewhere the roofs are of low pitch and leaded,
behind straight parapets. Internally the walls are plastered and
the floors flagged.
The building was extensively restored in 1869–70, when the
north chapel, which had been long demolished, was rebuilt on its
old foundations, the chancel and aisles re-roofed, the nave roof
strengthened, a new east window put in the chancel, a west gallery
removed and the tower arch opened out, and the old square pews
replaced by open seats.
Plan of Cogenhoe Church
The oldest part of the building is the south doorway, which
dates from c. 1180, but no other trace of the church of
that date has survived. This re-used doorway has a plain round arch
of two square orders, with hoodmould, the outer order on shafts
with scalloped capitals and moulded bases. The rebuilding of the
church was begun at the east end about 1225, to which period the
present chancel belongs, and later in the century (c.
1270–80) the nave and aisles were built, probably by Nicholas
de Cogenhoe (d. 1281) whose arms are on the pillars of the arcades.
The chapel on the north side of the chancel appears to have been
erected early in the 14th century, perhaps by William de Cogenhoe
(d. 1313), and c. 1350 the aisles were widened, the north
aisle being brought into line with the chapel. The porch was added
about the same time, and in the 15th century a tower was built at
the west end, a clerestory added to the nave, and two windows
inserted in the north aisle.
The 13th-century chancel is lighted by three pairs of lancet
windows on the south side and a single pair on the north, all with
plainly chamfered jambs and dripstones following the line of the
heads. The modern east window is a gradated triplet of similar
lancets. Internally, however, the work is of a more elaborate
character. The north and south walls are arcaded and the rear arch
of the original east window, which is continued to the ground, has
banded shafts with moulded capitals and bases. The south
wall-arcade consists of three pointed arches resting on triple
attached shafts, the capitals of which have square abaci, and on
single shafted responds. The arches are of a single chamfered
order, with chamfered hood-mould, and the capitals are quite plain,
with round neckings. Within the arches the pairs of lancet lights
are divided by circular engaged shafts, or columns, with square
moulded abaci carrying the rear arches, which rest at the ends on
square corbels similarly treated. The circular bases of both the
arcade and window shafts are moulded. Below the window in the
eastern bay is a plain stone bench, or sedile, but there is no
piscina. On the north side the window is near the east end and the
arcade consists of two arches only, the westernmost bay having been
pierced in the early 14th century by a low arch to the chapel, and
in the middle blank bay are three aumbries, an upper one with
trefoiled head beneath a hood-mould, and two plain rectangular ones
below, forming a single architectural composition. The pointed
chancel arch is contemporary with the nave arcades; it is of two
chamfered orders with a hood-mould towards the nave, and on the
capitals of the responds are the faces of a knight and lady.
The late-13 th-century nave arcades consist of three pointed
arches of two chamfered orders with hood-mould on one side, on
pillars which are square on plan with an attached shaft at each
angle and a hollow in the face of the intervening spaces. The
responds are of similar character. The shafts have separate moulded
capitals, in the spaces between which are shields and grotesque
heads, each pillar having thus four shields or heads and each
respond one: the necking goes round the whole of the pillar. In all
there are ten shields, and, with two exceptions, these are confined
to the easternmost pillars and responds. In all other cases the
spaces are occupied by grotesque heads. The shield on the west side
of the south-west pier is blank, and (a) the arms of
Cogenhoe (a fesse between three mascles) occur on four of the
others. The other armorial shields are as follows: (b)
ermine a chief indented (Morteyne); (c) barry of ten a
bend (Pabenham); (d) a bend sinister (probably meant for
Hastings); (e) a fesse and in chief three martlets
(possibly Cheyne); and (f) in chief two human hands
displayed (unknown).
On the west side of the south-east pillar is a mutilated holy
water stoup supported by a draped figure, and in the usual position
at the east end of the south aisle there is a small trefoiled
piscina recess, wholly restored, without bowl. The pointed
14th-century windows of the south aisle are of two trefoiled lights
with quatrefoil in the head, but the tracery is modern: a
square-headed two-light window at the east end is placed high in
the wall and has a wooden lintel. Between the doorway and the
window east of it is a small blocked trefoilheaded opening with
wide internal splay, the purpose of which is uncertain, though it
is usually classed as a low-side window, and immediately east of
the doorway is a plain bracket on a moulded corbel.
The late-14th-century porch has a low-pitched gable and pointed
outer arch of two chamfered orders, the inner order on
half-octagonal responds with moulded capitals, the outer
continuous: above is a niche, now blocked. In the north-east angle
of the porch there is a later stoup with mutilated basin.
The plain round-headed doorway of the north aisle may not be
older than the pointed window west of it, which is of two
cinquefoiled lights with quatrefoil in the head, but the window in
the west wall is of three lights with modern Perpendicular tracery.
The other 15thcentury window, which is at the east end of the north
wall, is square-headed and of three trefoiled lights, the mullions
and tracery new. Farther east in the north wall is a plain oblong
recess, or locker, about 3 ft. above the floor. The arch between
the aisle and the north chapel is in part old, the original jambs
on the west side having filleted shafts at the angles, with moulded
capitals. The chapel is under a separate high-pitched gabled
roof.
The clerestory has three square-headed windows of two trefoiled
lights on each side. The carved corbels of the old nave roof remain
in position, five on each side, those on the south a series of
human heads, while those on the north side include an ox's head, a
muzzled bear, and the head of a bishop.The low-pitched east gable
has a pinnacle at each angle and at its apex a carved stone, said
to have been the head of a churchyard cross, remains of which stood
by the path to the porch. The four sides of the cross-head, which
is of 14th-century date, have trefoiled niches containing original
sculpture—on the east the Father seated holding between his
knees the crucified Son, on the west a Crucifixion with attendant
figures, and in the smaller niches north and south figures of St.
Peter and St. Paul.
The 15th-century tower, which is faced with finely dressed
stone, is of three stages marked by strings, the lofty upper stage
being slightly set back. It has a moulded plinth and diagonal
buttresses on the west side to the top of the second stage, and
terminates in a battlemented parapet, the pinnacles of which were
removed in 1870. The four-centred moulded west doorway is set in a
square frame, with blank shields in the spandrels, and above it,
breaking through the first string, is a tall four-centred window of
three cinquefoiled lights and Perpendicular tracery. Over this, in
the second stage, is a rectangular traceried opening. The middle
stage has a plain pointed opening on the south side and a
four-centred doorway to the nave roof on the east. The tall pointed
bell-chamber windows are of two cinquefoiled lights with quatrefoil
in the head and cusped transoms at mid-height; the hood-mould is
taken round the tower at the level of the spring of the arches.
There is a vice in the south-west angle. The lofty pointed tower
arch is of two chamfered orders, the outer continuous and the inner
on half-octagonal responds with moulded capitals and bases.
The font consists of a plain cylindrical bowl 14½ in. high,
chamfered round the top, on a double masonry base: the flat cover
is modern. The pulpit and other fittings are modern.
The late-13th-century effigy of Nicholas de Cogenhoe in the
south aisle has already been described.
At the west end of the north aisle is part of a stone coffin,
and a small coffin-shaped hollowed stone, 2 ft. in length, possibly
for a heart burial.
In a glazed frame in the south aisle is a piece of fringed
needlework in colour on fine canvas, temp. Henry VIII, which may
have been the upper side of a long cushion for the sedile, and in
the north aisle is hung a large cloth of coarse canvas covered with
a repeating design in many coloured cruels, apparently of
Elizabethan date, which may have served as a riddel, or curtain in
the chancel.
There is a scratch dial on one of the east jamb stones of the
porch, and another on the west jamb of the window east of the
porch.
The east end of the south aisle is occupied by a 'shrine' in
memory of fourteen men of the parish who fell in the war of
1914–18.
There is a ring of six bells cast in 1909 by A. Bowell of
Ipswich.
The plate consists of a 17th-century cup and paten (c.
1682) with the maker's mark EB linked, and a flagon of 1743
inscribed 'Cooknoe 1743. The Gift of Bradley Whalley Rector of this
Church.' There is also a plated bread-holder c. 1790.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) all entries
1558–1657; (ii) 1661–1754; (iii) baptisms and burials
1755–1812; (iv) marriages 1754–1808; (v) marriages
1808–12.
A well-bound copy of the Great Bible printed by Robert Barker in
1617 and purchased in 1631 is in use in the church. The parish also
possesses a volume of fifteen manuscript sermons preached at
Cogenhoe church by Francis Smyth, rector 1637–56.
Advowson
The first mention of the church found is in 1238, when it was
descending with the manor (q.v.), three Cogenhoes being rectors in
the 14th century, William, Nicholas, and William son of Sir Giles.
It descended with the manor until about 1678 when the Bonds
conveyed it to Samuel Freeman, ) probably trustee for the Whalley
family, as, according to Bridges, Peter Whalley, who was rector in
1656 and died 1701, purchased it from the Bonds. Jane Whalley,
widow, presented in 1701. Bradley Whalley, patron in 1720, dying in
1743, left the advowson in trust for his kinsman Eyre Whalley to
William Freeman, who presented that year. Palmer Whalley presented
1762 and then the incumbency and patronage are again often found in
the same person. John Watkin clerk presented in 1786, George
Watkin, clerk, in 1796, and Edward Watkin in 1812; the last-named
received a conveyance of the rectory from Henry Locock in 1813. R.
Rogers, rector till 1863, had acquired the patronage by 1861 and
George Burnham of Wollaston by 1863. George Burnham presented in
1864 C. H. Burnham, who had succeeded him by 1883 as patron. His
widow presented 1903–20; and from 1921 to the present time it
has been in the gift of Mr. W. LaneClaypon.
William de Cogenhoe founded a chantry for one priest to sing at
Our Lady's altar. Its property was estimated at 67s.
4d. in 1535, and sold to William Cecil and Laurence
Eiresbie in 1549.
Congratulations to Lord Blackadder & Lou_Peznaz for the
JFTF
If anybody would like to expand to this series please do, I would
just ask that you could let
Sadexploration know first so he can keep
track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication
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