The North Porch

Although now rather decayed and little-used, the flint-faced, two-storeyed north porch is a fine piece of mediaeval craftsmanship. Its lower part (judging by the windows) appears to date from the 1300s, but it was transformed and heightened a century later. Its north face and parapet are embellished by flint and stone ‘flushwork’ panelling, capped by delicate stone cresting. In the spandrels flanking the entrance arch (above which is a single canopied niche) we see a mythical ‘wodewose’ (or wild man) with his club on one side, ready to attack a dragon on the other. Inside, it has a splendid lierne-vaulted ceiling, with carve bosses showing beautifully-preserved human faces (including a mythical ‘green man’, with leaves sprouting from his mouth) and a central dragon-like creature. It shelters the church’s rather sumptuously-moulded north doorway.

Above the north door are fixed the Royal Arms of King Charles II (dating probably from 1660 when the King made their display obligatory in churches). Originally painted on both sides and pierced, they could be seen from both the Chancel and the Nave and were probably suspended where Nave and Chancel joined, which was the King’s preferred position for them. They were later removed and stored for a time in the tower. On their rediscovery, it was found that their obverse side was in better condition than the front, so they were restored, using the obverse as the front face — hence the Lion’s and the Unicorn’s positions are reversed.