Details
TL 97 SW EUSTON EUSTON PARK
5/33 Church of St.
14.7.55 Genevieve
- I
Parish church. 1676: rebuilt by Lord Arlington on the
foundations of the medieval church. Exterior rendered and
lined, with freestone quoins and dressings: slate roofs. West
tower, nave, chancel, north and south aisles, north and south
transepts, and a vestry to the south of the chancel. The tower
appears to have a medieval core: in 4 stages, with diagonal
buttresses to all 4 corners, and a pierced parapet with pinnacles
at the corners. Louvred window openings to all 4 sides of the
top 2 stages, and on the west only on the 2nd stage, all with the
same Classical arched form. The remainder of the exterior has
rusticated and chamfered quoins, plain parapets, and 2-light
windows with round arches and a circle over (Venetian tracery -
cf. Pevsner, 'The Buildings of Suffolk'). Circular windows to
the clerestory, and a simple single-light east window with
rounded head. Entry to the church is through the west end of the
tower: panelled double doors in a semi-circular arched surround,
up a rounded flight of steps. Matching entries on the north and
south have been blocked. The inner entrance doorway, through the
east wall of the tower, is similar but higher and more ornate
than the outer doorway: entablature with moulded cornice
surmounted by the Royal Arms, modelled in plaster. Cross-vaulted
roofs to base of tower, nave, crossing and chancel, with plaster
bands of guilloche ornament along the groins, and acanthus-leaf
on capitals. Round the 4 arches of the crossing are wider
plaster panels with formalised flowers in relief. The aisles, in
2 bays, extend the full length of the nave: the eastern bay of
the south aisle has a large wall monument to Lord Arlington
(d.1685) and an ornate plaster ceiling, decorated with fruit and
flowers in high relief. This bay contains the family pew. On
each side of the south transept window the reveals have been
painted with panels of formalised foliage, which have been copied
in high relief in panels of plaster down the sides of the chancel
arch. All the interior woodwork is of the late C17: low box-pews
in the nave and transepts with sunk fielded panels and raised
moulded surrounds, double hinges and brass knobs. The low screen
with openwork carving, the splendid pulpit, formerly with a
sounding-board, and the reredos, all have fine ornate carving in
the style of Grinling Gibbons. 4 early C16 brasses from the
medieval church are set into the floor of the chancel. Late C19
alterations included in replacement of the font and the
communion rails, and a carved panel of the Last Supper added to
the reredos. The church contains memorials to the Dukes of
Grafton, and other members of the Fitzroy family, in stained
glass (north transept window of c.1865 to the fifth Duke),
marble, and notably in small ornate brass panels on the walls. A
photograph in the nave shows the interior before 1875, and there
is a framed copy of the permit issued to Lord Arlington by the
Bishop of Norwich to take down and rebuild the church.
Listing NGR: TL9006178493
