Parish Church of St Barnabas, Alphamstone (EHER 9321)

Parish church with probable 12th century nave, and chancel rebuilt early in 14th century. North porch was added 15th century. The south wall of the chancel was rebuilt and the south porch added in 16th century. The church was restored late 19th century. The walls are of flint rubble, except the south wall of the chancel which is partly brick, with limestone dressing. The roofs are covered with tiles and slates, with the bell turret being weatherboarded.

Monument description derived from merging EHER 9321, 9322, 9323, 9324, and 28558. Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Church (C of E) [NAT]. <1> Parish Church (dedication unknown) stands towards the north of the parish. The walls are of flint-rubble, except the south wall of the chancel, which is partly of brick; the dressings are of limestone and the roofs are covered with tiles and slates; the bell-turret is weather-boarded. The nave was built probably in the 12th century. A west tower was added at some uncertain date and subsequently demolished. Early in the 14th century the chancel was rebuilt; shortly afterwards the chancel-arch and south arcade were built and the south aisle added. In the 15th century the north porch was added. In the 16th century the south wall of the chancel was partly rebuilt and the south porch added. The church was restored at the end of the 19th century, when the bell-turret was repaired and the chancel largely refaced. There is a considerable collection of sarsen stones in and about the churchyard, which appear to have been brought together by human agency. Original dedication not known. Nave walls are 0.88m thick and fairly certainly pre-Conquest; a prime site for an isolated minster. Site Assessment = Church and churchyard form an important archaeological complex. Major opportunities for investigation should arise soon and must be taken. Walls are rendered inside and out, in very poor condition; moderately damp especially in the south aisle. 19th century open drain on north side of nave of church. <2> Nave doorway is 13th century, probably reset. The door is 14th century. South doorway is early 14th century. South porch is irregular, markedly out of line with the south doorway. South porch of unknown date, irregular, markedly out of line with the south doorway. Chancel roof is 17th century. Grade I. <3> Saxon or Norman nave with Roman brick quoins. 14th century chancel and south aisle. Churchyard stands as platform above surrounding fields. Nave walls are 0.88m thick and fairly certainly pre-Conquest. <4> Wall paintings were evident when small plaster repairs were being carried out to the north nave wall, adjacent to the tie beam. <5> Two photos of church, very similar views. <6> Church restored by Sir Arthur Blomfield. Font cover is a handsome if modest piece. <7> Site Assessment = Church is interesting according to RCHM. Almost certainly pre-Conquest nave. Walls are rendered inside and out, very poor condition; chancel arch badly cracked and in danger of collapse moderately damp, particularly in the south aisle; 19th century open drain on north side of the nave and chancel. Churchyard stands as a platform above the surrounding fields, and has yielded Bronze Age and Iron Age pottery and a Roman villa (see EHER 9317). Many sarsen stones have been gathered to the area and are distributed in and about the churchyard; one large sarsen projects from under the south-west corner of the nave. A prime site for an isolated minster. <8> 1970. Survey. Bell frame survey sheet. <9> 1998. Watching brief. When a brick drainage channel along the north wall of the nave was removed and the level reduced in December 1988, human bones were found. The wall apparently of mortared flint but now rendered, seems to have been built on a foundation of sandy clay with gravel laid in a trench. The neatly stacked bones formed part of this foundation. Many individuals were represented. Presumably this was charnel from graves disturbed when the church was built. No doubt this was regarded as a place of particular sanctity for their reinterment. The nave wall is thought to be 12th century. The presence of this charnel indicates that this was not the first church on the site, but as a Roman building is thought to be partially within the churchyard this is not entirely surprising. <10> March and May 2007. Test pitting. Test pits in the northern wall of the nave revealed a Roman layer or feature fill, possibly part of a large pit or ditch, perhaps a rubbish pit associated with the nearby villa (EHER 9317). An east-west aligned inhumation burial was found below the nave which must pre-date the 11/12th century. Three test holes were dug in the northern side of the nave which uncovered features pre-dating the construction of the nave. The nave foundation was seen to extend to between 400 and 500mm below ground level and to be of unmortared stone and earth construction. <11> See also: <12> <13>