Bell 1 of 1
Founded by Chapman & Mears 1782
Dove Bell ID: 60492 Tower ID: 23725 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Stansted: St Paul
Overview
Grid reference: SU 759 101
The chapel incorporates fabric from the original 15th Century Stansted House which once stood on the site. The remainder of the building was constructed by Rev Lewis Way of Stansted House in the Gothick style 1812-16. It was consecrated in 1819. The church was restored by H S Goodhart-Rendel for Lord Bessborough in 1926 and again after bomb damage in 1947.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
4-bay chapel with south porch and north-west turret, and chancel with south vestry and east porch with vault beneath. Boiler room west of vestry. The interior has a west narthex with gallery overhead and 3-bay nave.
Dimensions:
[Approximate] Nave 12.5m (41ft) x 6m (20ft), chancel 6m (20ft)
Footprint of Church buildings: 284 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
The park is recorded as having been in use for hunting and timber production in the medieval period and a hall and chapel existed in 1327 [EH]. Henry II is known to have stayed and hunted at Stansted. The site of the chapel was originally occupied by a two-storey, 15th-century house, the original Stansted House. This was partially destroyed during the Civil War and a new house was built to the north-west in the 17th Century. That in turn was destroyed by fire in 1900 and rebuilt in 1901. All records of the chapel were lost in the fire.
The chapel incorporates some 15th-century fabric at the west end. Reverend Lewis Way [1772-1840] bought the estate in 1804. He wanted to establish a missionary college at Stansted, of which the chapel would have been the focus, to promote Christianity amongst Jews so he remodelled and extended the chapel (tentatively attributed to Thomas Hopper) in 1812. However the Diocese refused his applications for the college and he sold the site in 1826.
The first recorded service was held in 1815 as recorded by a stone plaque above the south door, though it was not consecrated until 1819. The consecration service was attended by the poet John Keats who was influenced by the unusual east window in his poem ‘The Eve of St Mark’ as well as armorial glass in the nave windows which enters the poem ‘The Eve of St Agnes’.
Though originally a private chapel for Stansted House it became a daughter church of the new parish of Forestside in 1856. It was restored by the architect and art historian H S Goodhart-Rendel for the 9th Earl of Bessborough in 1926 (he had bought Stansted in 1924) and once again following bomb damage in 1947. Although acting as a chapel of ease for some time, it was only officially made a chapel of ease in May 2012.
There is a great deal of further information available on the history of the building and its contents including a NADFAS report, a Scottish Glass studios report and books on Stansted Park such as Lord Bessborough’s book The Enchanted Forest which tells the estate’s story since the 12th Century.
The registered landscape within which the chapel is situated includes formal and walled gardens and informal pleasure grounds of early to late 19th and 20th century origin, set within a late 17th-century landscape of parkland, formal avenues and woodland rides which were in part developed and altered in the later 18th and early 19th centuries. Walpole praised the landscape in 1785 [EH].
The archaeological potential of the site is considerable given the earlier construction on the site. There is a vault beneath the east porch. The site is within an AONB and contains mature trees and as such is of considerable ecological value. Its position within a registered landscape is also of considerable value.
Exterior Description
Attractive brick chapel of irregular design due to its evolution. From north or south the Y-tracery windows give the chapel a Gothick appearance, but from the east or west the red brick crenellated parapets and north-west turret date the building as Tudor.
The four-bay red brick nave has a pitched roof. The north and south elevations have four large three-light Y-tracery wooden windows beneath hoodmoulds with three-stage buttresses between them. Flintwork is evident towards the east end of the north side. The west end has a crenelated parapet with an attached octagonal north-west turret. A square headed door is centrally positioned in the west elevation with a four-light square-headed window above. Substantial buttresses to either side. At the east end a crenellated parapet, like that at the west end, can be seen above the east nave wall and a chimney rises to its south side. A smaller two-bay chancel with crenellated parapet, punctuated by pinnacled buttresses, extends east. The crenellations continue around the gabled east elevation. A quatrefoil in the gable end contains a date stone of 1816, beneath it is a seven-light window beneath a prominent hoodmould. A lower porch (containing the vault) also with crenellated parapet completes the eastward extension. An inscribed stone is set in the wall above the studded east door. A low, rendered vestry extends to the south side of the chancel. A passage around the south side of the chapel is blocked by a wall between the adjacent house with the vestry.
A two-storey gabled south porch, in the south-west corner, almost obscured by a yew tree, has a two-light blocked window above the brick surround of the ground-level doorway. Pinnacled turrets rise either side. The porch is raised by a shallow step and has stone flags paving the interior floor. A stone plaque inscribed with the dates of the building is positioned over the inner door. There are blocked doorways to west and east. Four oak half-acorns, like corbels, are placed in the corners. The acorn was the symbol of the Arundels who owned the estate until the 16th Century. The motif can be seen elsewhere in the building.
Building Fabric and Features
Chapel (component)
19th century 4-bay chapel
Porch
19th century south
Turret
19th century north-west
Chancel
19th century
Vestry
19th century south
Porch
19th century east
Vault
19th century beneath east porch
Boiler Room
19th century west of vestry
Narthex (classical)
19th century west with gallery overhead
Gallery (ecclesiastical)
19th century above narthex
Nave
19th century 3-bay
Building Materials
Brick
19th century red
Flint
19th century
Clay
19th century tile roof
Interior
Interior Description
Though there are many doors into the church, that from the south porch is primarily used. It enters into a narthex (also known as the baptistery – the font is in the north-east corner). It is a low space with a groin-vaulted ceiling. Shafts, painted to look like Purbeck marble (plastered wood), support a gallery overhead. There is a fireplace in the south-west corner which has been dated to the 16th-century and considered part of an original building on the site. There are several trompe l’oeil panels on the walls, some containing inscriptions. Fixed benches in U-shapes to the east beneath three-light cinquefoil-headed windows with clear glass that look through to the nave. Wood panelling with blind tracery beneath them. The floor is of stone flags either side with black and white marble tiles continuing the line of the nave aisle.
In the north-west corner, an oak spiral staircase within the turret gains access to the gallery above. The western most section, where some furniture is stored, is screened by an internal ten-light cinquefoil-headed window with clear glass. The gallery has pine floorboards, fixed tiered benches and a centrally placed organ. Vaulting over head is different to that above the nave. The balustrade at the front of the galley has an iron arcade painted black with cinquefoil arches and a wooden handrail.
Back downstairs the nave is raised by two stone steps from the narthex. Above the three-bays is a groin-vaulted ceiling with white painted plaster with applied floriate details at the springing points and radiating from the bosses. Three brass chandeliers hang on chains down the central aisle, added in 1926. The aisle floor is laid in black and white marble floor tiles with raised wood pew platforms either side, with fixed high-backed benches. Some of those near the chancel have pillar columns. The windows contain clear glazing in diamond leaded panes with the exception of the south-east window [see below] and a central horizontal strip across each of the windows is embellished with armorial shields set within quatrefoils.
On the west wall, beneath the gallery is a blind trefoil headed arcade which repeats along the east wall either side of the chancel arch. This area is raised by a single step with a wrought iron grille in the vertical. The black and white marble tiles take on a different orientation that continues into the chancel. Some wall monuments are fixed within the openings and there are more monuments on the north wall. The pulpit is situated in the north-east corner and a priest’s desk faces the aisle.
The chancel, which was added by Way though much restored by Goodhart-Rendel, is raised by a step. The chancel arch has elongated quatrefoils within its span and a Greek text from Ephesians about Jews and Gentiles being united in Christ painted above. Communion rails span the width at ground level. The exquisite space is highly decorated with enhanced gilding by Goodhart-Rendel. A rib-vaulted celestial painted ceiling with ornate bosses is supported by slender clusters of piers on marble bases set a short distance in from the north and south walls. Smaller clusters are attached to the walls. The walls are panelled beneath the windows with blind cinquefoil headed arches above a faux-marble (painted wood) skirting. The panelling is painted red with gold embellishment, the walls are blue. There are doors in the north and south walls beneath ogee arch surrounds; that to the south leads into the vestry. Two brass crosses are laid in the floor. The altar and stalls and credence table are built into the walls. Beneath the notable east window (seven cinquefoil lights within a segmental arch) is a reredos with blind ogee crocketed arches to either side.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
20th century built-in rectangular altar table - slab of stone on brick sides 1926, mahogany veneer chest beneath representational of the Ark of the Covenant c 1816
Reredos
19th century Red with gold. A blind arcade lower stage of three crocketted arches with a blind arcade of cinquefoils behind it. An upper stage with three marble quatrefoil plaques containing Alpha, Omega and a dove, c.1816 but restored.
Pulpit
19th century black painted hexagonal pine pulpit with blind tracery and gilded details c 1816
Lectern
19th century Gilded carved wood eagle on black baluster stem with gilt vine spiralling up. A carved gilt acanthus foot attaches to a black pedestal, c.1816?
Font (component)
19th century large oval black marble bowl with splayed foot on rectangular stone base, c 1812
Rail
19th century black painted wood frame with gold painted arcade of moulded cinquefoil-headed arches, c 1816
Stained Glass (window)
19th century • North and south nave windows - armorial shields in quatrefoils across the middle section of each. Depict the occupants of Stansted including King Henry II, the Lumleys, Montgomerys, Bessboroughs, Lewis Way etc… Replaced post-war, not to exact same designs; • South-east nave window - 3 lights depicting Faith, Hope and Charity in memory of George Wilder attributed to Jones & Willis of London and Birmingham. Installed 1897; • East window –7 lights containing an unusual scene including symbols of the Christian and Jewish faiths, scenes from the Old Testament and Hebrew letters. A Greek inscription across the base is hidden by the reredos. Lewis Way is considered responsible for the design but the Scottish Glass Studio attributes the work to the artist Joseph Backler c.1815. The Studios consider it a unique piece which may be one of only two windows by Backler to survive.
Organ (component)
20th century 1926 Casson Positive Organ presented by Vere, 9th Earl of Bessborough, in memory of his mother Blanch, Countess of Bessborough, with rectangular architectural pine case painted black with gold. Installed on west gallery as part of Goodhart-Rendel’s 1926 restoration.
Bells
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
A register of marriages 1984-98 and services 1919-1934 are at West Sussex Record office. In the church is a register of services since 1975 and register of marriages 1999-2003.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SU 759 101
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 | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
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
Sources
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