Ilford Hospital Chapel: St Mary
Overview
Grid reference: TQ 435 863
The chapel is a simple rectangular building which forms the south side of the courtyard of the hospital. The court is paved with stone flags and the buildings on the east and west sides were rebuilt in 1927 in a pleasant vernacular style with rendered walls and half-timbering. The north wall of the chapel has two two -light windows of early fourteenth-century character (two trofoiled lights with tracery in two-centred heads) on each side of the doorway. The doorway is sheltered by a porch, probably added in 1889, with a reset outer archway with moulded jambs and a two-centred arch. To the east of the porch there is an organ chamber.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Long narrow nave and chancel under one roof, structurally undivided; south aisle, with Lady Chapel and vestry on the south side of the chancel, organ chamber on the north. The nave has a small north porch, and there are choir vestries to the west.
Dimensions:
Nave and chancel 94ft. by 16ft. overall; south aisle 65ft. by 9ft
Description of Archaeology and History
The chapel is basically fourteenth-century, and from this period date various windows arches and the outer archway of the porch. In 1782 the chapel was restored by Bamber Gascoyne, and in 1889 the chapel was restored and extended by the addition of the south aisle, vestry, Lady Chapel and an extension to the nave. The passage behind the east wall linking the chapel to the chaplain's house was also built at this time. The west bell - turret, which appears to have been Georgian, was replaced by a fleche over the division between the nave and chancel. The architect for the alterations was J. Martin Brooks. Choir vestries were added in 1935.
Exterior Description
The chapel is a simple rectangular building which forms the south side of the courtyard of the hospital. The court is paved with stone flags and the buildings on the east and west sides were rebuilt in 1927 in a pleasant vernacular style with rendered walls and half-timbering. The north wall of the chapel has two two -light windows of early fourteenth-century character (two trofoiled lights with tracery in two-centred heads) on each side of the doorway. The doorway is sheltered by a porch, probably added in 1889, with a reset outer archway with moulded jambs and a two-centred arch. To the east of the porch there is an organ chamber.
The west, south and east walls are not visible except from the back yards of adjoining buildings, but the west wall has a doorway opening into a yard, and a rose window above. The south aisle has a three light west window and five two-light windows in the south wall of the same pattern as those in the north nave wall. Some of these incorporate old stonework, but all have obviously been much renewed with the old stonework reset. There are two similar windows further east in this wall, one for the Lady Chapel at the end of the aisle and one for the vestry on the south side of the chancel. There is a low passage along the east wall which links the vestry to the Chaplain's lodging. The east window opens above this, and has three lights with cinquefoiled heads and panel tracery in a two-centred arch which retains some fifteenth-century stonework but is much restored. The north and south walls of the chancel each have one two light window of early-fourteenth century character with two trefoil-headed lights with tracery set in two-centred heads.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
The east window has three lights depicting The Crucifixion flanked by St. Mary and St. Thomas of Canterbury ( to both of whom the chapel in dedicated ) ; the middle light is by a different hand from the other two , and is in a romantic style with a stormy sky influenced by German glasspainters; the outer two have fairly standard figures of saints in niches, all of c . 1900. The panel tracery is glazed with florets on a diaper ground.
Stained Glass
1885
Chancel north window: this window contains a collection of glass placed here in 1885. The right hand light has a shield of eight compartments with the arms of Denis, Berkeley, Russel, lowbray, Corbet, Gorges, Fitzalan and Warren, which was in the east window accordingto Lysons in c .1786; this is presumably lnglish glass and is set in a background of silver stain diamond- shaped quarries with a Renaissance border all of 1885. The left hand light has a round of arms with an oval of arms above and an oval with a merchant's mark below. The arms and mark are those of Sir Thomas Gresham, and his crest of a grasshopper appears with the initials I and M on two quarries below. These are all said to have come from a house a Aldborough Hatch, which is quite likely since the Greshans had proper y there in the sixteenth century. The middle coat is described by Iyson, though not attributed to any families, and was also in the east window in 1796. The uppermost coat is also of Gresham, although it was described by Lysons as being in the east window in 1796, together wit a German dedicatory inscription and the date 1605 which has disappeared - The tracery quatrefoil has a large quartered coat in the middle with two quarters which correspond to one of Lysons' descriptions of a shield, and two which do not; it is probable that these were reset wrongly in 1885, or that Lysons was mistaken; the date panel below, inscribed 1631, is mentioned by him also, all these being in the east window at that time. To the left and right of it are small shields All also mentioned by Lysons as being in the east window. these are of the arms of Ward.
Stained Glass
Chancel south window: the two main lights contain seven roundels and one oval, as well as two small lozenges of arms in the tracery light each side of an eighth roundel . Five of the roundels and the oval contain coats of arms, one inscribed "Van der Balcke, 1550 and all probably continental, and the remaining three roundels have biblical scenes, with The Visitation in the tracery light, The Deliveranceof St. Peter from Prison and a soldier in Roman dress stabbing another under the fifth rib (perhaps Jacob slaying Amaca). There were placed in the chapel in 1892 and are said to have come from All Saints, Epping.
Stained Glass
1890
The west window is circular with various shapes of lights. in a five-petalled pattern depicting musician angels with white robes, gold wings and pink haloes, by William Morris, 1890, to designs drawn by Deerle and painted by Bowman.
Interior
Interior Description
The interior of the chapel shows more clearly the peculiarly long, low proportions of the building, exaggerated by the continuous timber wagon vault over nave and chancel. The south arcade has five arches of uniform width and one narrower at the west end, all of the 1889 work, with moulded arches dying into plain octagonal pillars. The walls are plastered and painted, with exposed stone dressings. The floors are of tiles in the alleys and the pews stand on timber platforms. The south aisle has a timber panelled ceiling, and an arch at the east that opens into the Lady Chapel.
The only division of nave from chancel is by the series of canvas panels already mentioned which interrupts the continuity of the vault, and the iron screen of simple design on a tall stone base. The floor here is of more elaborate red, buff and brown tiles, and an opening on the north side houses the organ.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
1889
Oak
Reredos
1889
Carved in stone and has three ogee headed arches, the middle wider than the outer pair, with a carving in relief of the Last Supper. Restored in 1955.
Pulpit
1850
Stone, consisting of two panels set at an obtuse angle with colonettes at the corners, with recessed pointed quatrefoils carved with flowers and foliage in the centre of each.
Lectern
1900
Brass eagle
Font (object)
1880
Stone, octagonal with the symbols of the Evangelists round the bowl. Stands on a drum and eight colonettes.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TQ 435 863
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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