Historic Churches 2021

BCD SPECIAL REPORT ON HISTORIC CHURCHES 28 TH ANNUAL EDITION 11 and would overcome the irregular edges and coursing of the dressings. The render would also, of course, have provided additional protection to the mortar joints of the quoins. The fact that the 20th-century re-rendering of the south wall copies this detail is fascinating. ST ANDREW’S CHURCH, WEST WRATTING, CAMBRIDGESHIRE This church stands on the highest ground in the county and is therefore unusually exposed. It dates mainly to the 14th century, with a later 15th-century clerestory. The nave rises through two storeys on both sides as there are no aisles. In the 18th century it was given a makeover in a classical style with extensive interior plasterwork, window tracery was removed and a Venetian window was installed to the east end. At the end of the 19th century this was all reversed and a neo-gothic east window was reinstated. Again, the walling is of rubble, comprising flint and field stone and a fair amount of clunch stone too, but for the dressings the clunch was replaced by harder-wearing limestone. Despite all these alterations, there is evidence of render on every single elevation, including the tower, and limewash has been found on the remaining clunch stones around some of the chancel windows. Quite how old the render is has not been confirmed, but visual assessment by an archaeologist and architectural historian suggests that it is contemporary with the 14th and 15th century fabric. The idea that such a rubble wall was ever intended to be left exposed is not credible given the parlous state that the clunch and mortar is now in; the walling is incapable of shedding excess water from its surface, and rainwater now simply tracks into the core of the wall making internal finishes damp and green with mould. Attempts to address this in the past have included taking off the internal lime plaster and replacing it with cement. Given the Left: The belfry and spire of St Mary Magdalene’s were rebuilt in 1927, but the tower below retains clear evidence of old renders, and the more recent render on the south elevation probably follows what was there before. Centre: The north aisle with its crazy paving: a small panel of Roman cement survives on the buttress. Right: This detail of the buttress to the west wall of the north aisle shows lime-rich render feathered across the quoin stones. The chancel of St Andrew’s West Wratting in 2019 with clear evidence of renders on the chancel (above). The chancel of St Andrew’s as it looks today, having been re-rendered and limewashed in 2020 (Photo: Alice Chapman) The belfry stage of the tower was rebuilt (along with the spire) in the 1920s and does not quite match the walling and older render of the lower stages, which is why so many field stones are on view (it is almost as if the mason lacked the confidence to fully render it). What is most interesting is evidence of render on a buttress at the west end of the north aisle that appears to be very old, and is clearly feathered out over the face of the quoin stones. This would allow the render to be lined out to give the appearance of polite ashlar masonry,