Items of interest in the Priory Church Little Dunmow.
The details here are taken from the brief History and Guide. Photographs will be added to this text soon.
FONT the bowl and stem are fourteenth Century and the base is modern. On the floor are fragments of a square bowl which are twelfth century.
STONE COFFIN LID which is thirteenth century.
TOMBS
The first is an Altar tomb with alabaster figures of Walter Fitzwalter (died
l432) and Elizabeth (nee Chiddoock) (died 1464). The arms, of which traces remain
on the sides of the tomb include those of Cobham and Fitzwalter. Walter, the
seventh Lord, was the last male of the original line. The Barony subsequently
passed to other families.
The second tomb is an Altar tomb with an alabaster effigy of a woman. Her dress dates from an earlier period than Elizabeth's. Various suggestions have been made as to her identity:
- that she may be the Mother of Walter Fitzwalter
- 'Matilda' the daughter of Robert the third Baron. She is said to have resisted the lustful advances of King John and been poisoned on his instructions.
- 'Maid Marion' of the Robin Hood legend, possibly because Robert, the first Baron was married to a daughter of the Earl Of Huntingdon. 'Marion' has become confused with 'Matilda'.
WAR MEMORIAL
A painted memorial designed by Florence Burnett of Grantham, executed by Messrs.
W. Perry Leach & Sons of Cambridge, sadly spoilt by the ingress of water
from a fractured downpipe and scheduled for restoration in 1994. A parchment
roll of honour from World War I will also be be mounted on the wall together
with a slate tablet relating to both World Wars donated by the Parish Council.
The oak standard candlesticks were carved by F. Coulson Davis of Colchester
from wood recovered from an old farmhouse at Aythorpe Roding which was being
demolished. A proposal to erect a 'wayside cross' outside the Church was rejected
by the village, but donations were made from the war memorial fund towards the
purchase of a playing field.
ORGAN
The organ was purchased from the Positive Organ Company Ltd. of London in 1905
for £160.10s.0d. Specification: Open Diapason 8ft. on separate pneumatic
action; Dulcet 4ft; Salicional 8ft; Gedact 8ft; Bourdon 16ft on separate soundboard.
The Organ is hand blown by bellows inside the vestry.
PULPIT
The pulpit is modem (circa 1870), but incorporates seven richly traceried panels
which are fifteenth century Flemish.
READING DESK AND COMMUNION RAILS
These incorporate fifteenth century traceried panel heads from a screen or bench
ends.
MEDIEVAL FLOOR TILES
These are attached to the bottom of the wall behind the pulpit. A number were
donated in 1942 by Miss Worrin who lived in the village. Amongst them is an
interesting depiction of Adam and Eve.
THE 'FLITCH' CHAIR
The chair has got carved decoration on one side but not on the other, so was
probably the end of a row of thirteenth century stalls made up to a single chair
in the fifteenth century. Originally used in the Flitch Ceremony but now replaced
by a replica which is in St Mary's Church, Great Dunmow. In 1930 the chair was
included in an exhibition of 'English Medieval Art' at the Victoria and Albert
Museum.
MEMORIAL OF THE HALLET FAMILY
Lords of the Manor in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
MEMORIAL TO ROBERT FITZWALTER
The most famous member of the family was Robert, the Third Baron, (died 1235)
who led the Barons in their struggle with King John which led to the sealing
of Magna Carta in 1215. The tablet was attached to the East Wall of the Church
in 1915.
FITZWALTER BANNER
Presented in 1988 by Mrs Jessie McIlroy-Smith a member of the Society of Magna
Charta Dames, U.S.A. (members trace their ancestries to the Barons) The Magna
Charta Hall, Douglas McArthur Academy of Freedom, Howard Payne University, Brownswood
Texas houses a reconstruction of the sealing of Magna Carta. A piece of stone
removed during restoration of the window tracery of the Church in 1986 was sent
to the society.
THE EAST WINDOW
The Windows is modern, and it has been suggested that it might be a copy of
the Jenner Window at Gloucester. Below it the five niches of the fourteenth
century REREDOS.
STONE COFFIN LID
Thirteenth Century, Purbeck Marble in an unusual design. Resting upon this coffin
lid are a pair of unusual stones. These are the 'KNEELING STONES' upon which
claimants for the Flitch of Bacon must swear their oaths. It is romantic to
imagine that they were carved specifically for this purpose but it is more likely
that they are pieces of rubble taken from the ruins of the Priory.
PISCINA in the south wall
Rather like a small sink designed so that water used to rinse Communion vessels
drained into consecrated ground.
FLOOR SLAB in the centre aisle.
Infant son of Sir William Wylde, brought here to escape the plague in London,
but too late. The Family owned Priory Place.
KNEELERS IN PEWS are contemporary. The designs are mainly buildings in the village or objects in the Church.
SOUTH WALL
Four magnificent fourteenth century windows. Note the differing designs of stone
tracery. Restoration of the outside of the tracery was completed in 1988. Below
the windows are interesting carved panels incorporating animals, foliage and
figures. The fifth smaller window is sixteenth century. The blocked arch formerly
gave access to another chapel.
WALL TABLET
In memory of Reverend Thomas Hambly and his wife Anne.
DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE DUNMOW FLITCH
Photographic copies of the originals which describe 'Courts Baron' which awarded
the Flitch. The Central oak post supporting the display came from the same source
as that used for the candlesticks.
WEST WINDOW is modern.
GRAFFITI
Modern scratching on the stonework is certainly not welcome but the following
have been claimed to be of historical interest. Starting at the door:
- (a) on the south jamb of the doorway, cross 'formy' in circle
- (b) near to the stove, facing south, cowled monks
- (c) second pillar, opposite to the foot of the tomb in Latin "A Short Life and a Merry One' !!!
- (d) same pillar, a little higher, second in similar writing
- (e) third pillar, facing east, caricature of cowled monk
- (f) fourth pillar, facing the foot of the tomb, in Latin, in memory of John de Casino who was probably interred nearby
- (g) behind minister's stall. pattern of decorated window.
(N.B. (a) & (e) have not been found during recent investigations)
