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East Markham St John the Baptist

Official Listing Description

Parish church. C14, C15. Restored 1883-7 by Oldrid Scott when the north and south aisles were rebuilt. Tower restored 1981. Ashlar. Probably lead roofs. Embattled parapets with single ridge crosses to the east nave and chancel. Buttressed and set on a plinth with a moulded band over and a sill band. Tower, nave, aisles, south porch, south east rood turret and chancel. C15 angle buttressed tower of 3 stages with bands, 8 crocketed pinnacles and 8 gargoyles. West restored moulded arched doorway with wooden door and continuous hood mould. Above is a single arched window with 3 cusped lights surmounted by a further 3 arched and cusped lights with cusped panel tracery, hood mould and label stops. The south side has at the second stage a niche. Within a cinque foiled canopy with 3 finials is a standing, worn figure. The 4 arched bell chamber openings each have 2 arched and cusped lights surmounted by a further 2 similar lights with tracery, hood mould and label stops. Under the north opening is a single clock face. There are 5 rectangular stair lights to the south side and single similar lights to the west and north sides. The west wall of the north aisle has a single arched C15 3 light window with cusped panel tracery with hood mould and single human head label stop to the left. The 4 bay north wall with 3 gargoyles has 3 similar windows with hood moulds and human head label stops. In the second bay from the right is a moulded pointed arched doorway with wooden door with decorative iron hinges and hood mould with human head label stops. The east wall has a single similar window, hood mould and human head label stops. In the clerestory are 8 arched windows each with 3 arched and cusped lights, reticulated tracery and continuous hood mould. C15 chancel has in the north wall 2 large gargoyles and 2 C14 style arched windows each with 3 arched and cusped lights, hood mould and human head label stops, the left window lacks the right label stop. The east chancel has a single large arched 5 light window with cusped panel tracery, hood mould and human head label stops. The south chancel has 2 large gargoyles and 3 C14 style arched windows each with 3 arched and cusped lights, hood mould and human head label stops. Breaking into the left corner of the central window is a double chamfered arched doorway with sundial to the right. The rood turret has a single rectangular stair light. In the east wall of the south aisle is a single arched 3 light C15 window with cusped panel tracery, hood mould and human head label stops. The 4 bay south wall with 3 gargoyles has 3 similar windows with hood moulds and human head label stops. Second bay from the left is the diagonally buttressed porch which has a single ridge cross, 2 crocketed pinnacles and single gargoyles to the east and west sides. Moulded and chamfered arched doorway, the inner chamfer being supported on embattled capitals with hood mould and human head label stops. Over is a niche with a figure standing under a double arch decorated with finials. The east and west walls each have a single arched and cusped light under a flat arch with hood mould. The interior of the porch has 2 corbels to both the east and west sides. The timbered roof has C15 bosses. The inner moulded arched doorway has a hood mould and human head label stops. In the south-west corner of the south parapet is a sundial. The west wall has a single C15 arched 3 light window with cusped panel tracery. The clerestory corresponds to the north but has 3 worn gargoyles. Interior. 4 bay nave arcades with octagonal columns and responds, each side with a single recessed rectangular blind panel, embattled capitals and moulded arches. The nave side with hood moulds, each with 5 head label stops. Tall tower arch with concave moulding and embattled capitals. Early C14 double chamfered chancel arch, the inner chamfer with moulded impost, hood mould and human head label stops over. In the east nave wall is a chamfered arched doorway with wooden door leading to the rood stair, above is a blocked arch. C17 altar rails with turned balusters. C17 panelled and decorated pulpit and C17 alms box with iron fittings. Ashlar font with flying buttresses rising from a base decorated with fleuron, probably an inverted C14 font, supporting the bowl, 1686, with C17 conical, decorated canopy. The east bay of the south aisle has the restored and reduced C15 chancel screen with panel tracery. In the south aisle is the base of a C17 altar table and in the north aisle the top of an ashlar altar table. In the nave is a litany desk part constructed with C16 bench end with decoratively carved head. There is a large C17 chest with iron fittings. On the north and south walls of the chancel are single iron brackets formerly for lamps. The remaining furniture is C19 and C20. Monuments: in the chancel is the alabaster tomb of John (Judge) Markham, d.l409. Decorated around the sides with plain shields in roundels. The top with inscription around the edge and later defacements. In the south aisle is a fine brass, 1419, to Dame Millicent Meryng figuring a lady dressed in medieval costume. Beside the north wall is a C13 coffin lid with worn effigy. There are several C17 and C18 floor slabs. In the east window of the south aisle are some fragments of C15 glass. East window by Comper, 1896. The C19 nave and chancel roofs with bosses are supported on corbels.