Barnston Parish Church Dedication Unknown (EHER 36887)

Church, comprising nave circa 1160-1170, probably of flint rubble but now plastered, at the west end is a rectangular timber framed bell turret of re-used medieval timber. The Chancel was probably rebuilt 13th century

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import. Church [NAT] <1> Barnston Parish Church. Dedication unknown. Church comprising a Nave dated to around 1160-1170, probably of flint rubble but now plastered. RCHM 1. Grade II*. (See list for details). <2> Parish Church (dedication unknown), stands towards the N end of the parish. The walls are probably of flint-rubble but are covered with plaster; the roofs are tiled. The nave was built probably around 1160-70. The Chancel was probably rebuilt in the 13th century. The Bell-cote may be of the 17th century. <3> In 1991- Two cement renders on the S side of Barnston was removed. It confirmed the post-medieval date of the belfry and the existence of a south door in the chancel. The main phases of construction are: 12th century nave built of coursed flints, dated by very small windows in the N wall and the decoration of the south door which is in Barnack stone. 13th century Chancel; with well coursed flintwork surviving in good condition by the east of the door. Elsewhere in the chancel fragments of brick and re-used ashlar suggests a rebuild or extension possibly in the 15th to 16th century. In the late middle ages the church was re-fenestrated. Bricks on the top of the nave wall could date from the 15th to 16th centuries and may be associated with the re-seating of the wall plate or reconstruction of the roof. The belfry is timber framed with primary bracing and so probably 17th to 18th century as is the SE corner of the chancel. At least three types of 19th century brickwork occur. <4> One slide of exterior of church (W end) <5> See http://www.barnstonvillage.co.uk/church.htm for village website. Observations were made during a single visit to the site on the 17th March 2008, during the excavation of a pit for new septic tank and an associated pipe run. Both the pipe trench and the tank pit were excavated using a 360° mini excavator (Fig 1). Both the pipe run and the tank pit were excavated through a modern topsoil (L1), then through an accumulation layer (L2) into natural geological clay deposits (L3). Excavation continued to a formation level of 700mm below ground-level for the pipe run and 2.3m for the tank pit. No archaeological features were observed during the excavation of the pipe trench. However, a single inhumation burial was recorded and lifted from the tank pit. No dating material was recovered although the cut contained peg-tile, suggesting a postmedieval date. The remains were transferred to the Churchwarden for reburial on completion of the project <6> Additional references <7> <8> Photographs <9>