Bulmer

Turning for home I crossed back into Essex and headed for Bulmer (after a futile search for Middleton, which, once again, my satnav refused to accept exists and I saw no signs for it but then I was somewhat lost).

St Andrew took an age to find and, when I did, wasn't hugely rewarding - a very nice font, with a green man, and two good modern windows - but the setting was beautiful.

ST ANDREW. The emphasis of the church lies on its chancel, unusually long, of early C14 style, with a band inside going all the way and rising and falling to give way to the S doorway, the windows, the sedilia and the piscina. The sedilia and the (double) piscina have cusped arches on detached shafts. The chancel roof is much later, c. 1500, and has collar-beams on braces with a little tracery in the spandrels. The braces rest on angel figures. N arcade, also C14, with octagonal piers and double-chamfered arches. C15 W tower with diagonal buttresses, some flint and stone chequer-work at the base, and battlements. - PULPIT. C18; panelling and a little inlay.

BULMER. Its finest possession has been in the church 500 years, a font beautifully carved and wonderfully preserved. It has an octagonal bowl and stands on a graceful panelled base. Seven of the sides have angels, double roses, and a shield bearing a thumb-screw; but the one we liked best shows a genial face between branches of grapes, with vine leaves coming from its mouth. The tower is 15th century and there are 14th century arches in the nave with a richly moulded doorway of the same age; but the chief interest of the building is in the 14th century chancel, which has a fine little arcade in the sanctuary wall, and a Tudor roof with canopied angels holding shields* and the instruments of the Passion. In two windows is a little old glass. An opening outside one of the walls is blocked with bricks which appear to be Roman.

Flickr.

* Either I missed these or they are no longer extant.