St. John The Baptist Church in the 1300's

The 14th Century

The Church in 1320

The Turbervilles, as lords of the manor were probably largely responsible for the 14th century work which seems to have been confined mainly to the south aisle. Their family fortunes and influence appear to have been increasing during this century, and they used the south aisle as their family chapel with its burial vault below.

In addition to the work on the south aisle, the whole building, including the nave and both aisles was extended westward to its present extent by constructing large additional arches at the west end of each nave arcade. On the north side where the 12th century arcade terminated at a wall corbel springer a square pier was formed, but on the south the semi-circular half column was converted into a complete isolated column by building a new half against it, and the two styles of work can still be clearly seen in this column. A new west wall was then built at the end of the nave, probably containing a west door and window above, which has since been removed.

14th Century Floor Plan

At the time of this westward extension the 12th century narrow north aisle had not been widened, and the extension was therefore a narrow one, necessitating a complete rebuilding of this section in the 15th century when the whole aisle was
widened. However a small portion of the west wall was retained and can be seen externally, together with part of the jamb and sill of the west window, just south of the present north aisle west window (See Photograph Below - Click to enlarge).

North Aisle west window

The north doorway (See photograph below - click to enlarge) belongs to this century, but it has since been re-used in a new position.

The North Doorway

It is difficult to reconcile the westward extension of the whole building and the widening of the south aisle. If as is generally believed the westward extension was carried out in about 1300, then both aisles would have been in their narrow 12th century form, and the westward extensions would therefore have been of the same width. This was quite clearly so on the north side, but on the south the widening of the aisle appears to have occurred before or at the same time as the westward lengthening. The date of the west end of the south aisle is therefore uncertain, especially as a small window in the south wall at this end was replaced in 1875, and a new one inserted in the formerly windowless west wall.

The work on the rest of the south aisle can however be definitely assigned to the 14th century. The supposed original south transept and 12th century narrow south aisle were removed. and a new wider aisle built. At the east end a new arch was constructed between the nave and aisle where the north wall of the transept had been, and the old half column at the eastend of the 12th century arcade was probably converted into a complete column as at the west end, but it has since been rebuilt. The east window was probably small and similar to the centre one on the south (See photograph below - click to enlarge), but it has twice been replaced since the 14th century.

South Aisle 14th Century window

It was at this time that the south hagioscope (right photograph below) was formed to give a view into the chancel, and is interesting for its original iron grill, but the hagioscope on the north side (left photograph below) is no more than a roughly cut tunnel-like opening of indeterminate date. Click the photographs to enlarge.

Northern & Southern Hagioscopes

The whole of the upper portion of this 14th century south aisle has since been rebuilt and the only original features remaining lie in the lower portions, including the piscina (below, 1 st row left), part of a wall recess (below, 1st row right), the centre south window, a low recessed altar tomb (below, 2nd row left), and the south door (below, 2nd row right). Three other windows in this aisle of 14th century appearancewere added in 1875. Click the Photographs to enlarge.

A Piscina & a Wall recess

An Altar Tomb & the Southern Door

During repairs to plasterwork in 1969, two interesting features were revealed in the lower part of the south wall of this aisle. The portion of wall recess, referred to above, could be seen to be almost exactly half of the original and was probably partially bricked up when the additional doorway was cut in the south wall, and a small bricked up fireplace recess could be seen immediately east of the low altar tomb. It was lft. 6in. (45cm) wide, 3ft. 8in. (110cm) high, and spanned by a brick segmental arch supported on a flat section iron bar, and was probably originally associated with the lord of the manor's pew enclosure.

It is very probable that in either the 13th or 14th centuries the original north transept was heightened to form a tower, and would account for the retention of this part of the original building until the present west tower was added in about 1500. It would also account for the distortion which has occurred in the arch between the transept and the nave at some time in the past, and which is still apparent. It is also unlikely that a church which had by the 14th century become so large, shouldhave been without a tower. Canford Magna church (see photograph below) for example has its existing tower in just this position - the easternmost bay of the north aisle-where the llth century north transept was subsequently heightened.

Candford Magna Church