Church Heritage Record 633363

Nave, chancel, west tower, north porch.

Nave c 12m (50 ft) x 7m (22 ft), chancel 12m (50ft).

There are scattered Prehistoric, Roman and Saxon settlement remains in the area. Immediately before the Conquest Blyford was held by Edwin the Thegn, whose will includes a bequest of land to Blyford church. The manor was helf by Godric the Steward in 1086, the holding then included a church. The church was granted to Blythborough Priory (Augustinian) by Ralph de Criketot c 1199, and remained a possession of the Priory until the Dissolution. The site is of exceptional archaeological potential, and the Historic Environment Record should be consulted if any disturbance or development is considered. As already noted, the churchyard is of high ecological value.

The manor of Blyford appears in the Domesday Book and a church is mentioned, but the earliest details are early 12th century in date. There was a major 13th century rebuild with a lengthened chancel, and this period gives the church its defining character. In the 15th century the tower and porch were added. The church was sympathetically restored in the 1840s, as well as in 1875 and 1924 but not substantially rebuilt. There were repairs including limewashing recently.

This church is a real undiscovered gem. It has received sympathetic restoration, the thick limewash giving pleasing texture and reinforcing the simplicity of the plan, design and tracery. The square 15th-century west tower is the only part which has not been thus rendered, allowing one to see the gable scar of the 13th-century nave roof on its east face. It is of three stages with diagonal buttresses to the west and a crenellated parapet; the plinth, buttresses and parapet are enriched with flushwork. The west face has a doorway with lion label stops to the arch and a 2-light window below which is a full-width quatrefoil flushwork frieze. 2-light bell-chamber openings. Some fine gargoyles. The carving is all of high quality, perhaps due to the monastic connection.

The nave has thick 12th-century walls pierced by two 15th-century 2-light square-headed windows, largely original. To the west bay, fine gabled 15th-century north porch of knapped flint with flushwork panels to the facade; parapet with stone tracery at the front and flushwork to the sides. The entrance arch and hoodmould are enriched with fleurons, and there are carved stone shields in the spandrels; above the arch is an empty statue niche.

Good original north and south doorways, dated c 1120 by the Corpus of Romanseque Sculpture. The north doorway within the porch has two orders of colonettes, the outer order with spiral decoration, carved cushion capitals and three orders to the arch, two with chevrons and the central one roll-moulded. The south doorway is simpler, with one order of colonettes with chevron ornament and a roll-moulded arch.  

The late 13th-century chancel is a rare survival, stylistically intact, and again of a quality which may betray the monastic connection. Two 2-light windows with Y-tracery and a lancet window in the west bay in the north wall; 3-light east window with intersecting tracery. Two 2-light windows with Y-tracery, and Priest's doorway to the south wall.

Moving inside, the interior is long and narrow, of equally long nave and chancel with no division, a very simple and dignified atmosphere. An odd feature as already noted  is the strips of fabric which have been left exposed. The tower space within a tall plain pointed arch (restored?) contains cupboards and the roof stairs, there could be potential for introducing facilities here. Ceiled-over roofs, probably early 19th-century, painted Ecclesiological Blue. In the south sanctuary is a late 13th-century angle piscina with trefoil arch and a drop-sill sedilia, a rare complete survival. In the south-west nave is a niche of a banner stave locker, another rare survival. Holy water stoup in north wall. Attractive set of 19th-century benches with poppyheads. Tiled floors throughout in chequer pattern.