Wootton Wawen - Notable Buildings

Notable Buildings

St Peter's church is of interest as it has the most pronounced Saxon work in the county and is the oldest church in Warwickshire, although much dates to later times. It comprises a chancel with a South chapel, nave, South aisle and on the North the tower embattled and pinnacled. There are also North and South porches the east jamb of the south porch has several votive crosses scored into it. The base of the tower and the first two stages are Saxon with four doorways, the top of the tower is 15th century as are the clerestory, the nave battlements, the north doorway and porch, the middle arch of the arcade, the west window with busts of a king and queen and the east window with a leaf frieze The tower is the earliest part of the church, preserved in the middle despite restricting views of the chancel from the nave here, is the current site of the altar. The font is a plain octagonal bowl resting on eight sculptured heads similar to others in the county at Snitterfield and Lapworth whilst the old oak pulpit and choir screen is 15th century.

The church has a small chained library of 17th century theological works and some notable monumental brass particularly the altar tomb of John Harewell and his wife Anna (1505). There is a ring of six bells: the treble by Henry Bagley of Chacombe in 1742 (cracked and bolted with iron); the second of 1591 with an alphabet inscription (by Watts of Leicester); the third by J. Rudhall of Gloucester 1803; the fourth of 1784 (probably also by a Rudhall); the fifth of 1761 by Thomas Rudhall (bound by an iron band around the inscription); and the tenor of 1719 by Richard Sanders of Bromsgrove. All canons have been removed and replaced with bolted iron joists for ringing. The 16th-century oak frame with pits for three bells still exists: the posts have moulded corbelling at the tops and are strengthened by curved struts. It has been altered to take four bells, the treble and second being hung to the north of it. On, 31 December 2009 these bells rang in the New Year.

The vicar at the time of the Puritan Survei of the Ministrie in Warwickshire of 1586 was described thus mascall (John Mascall 1580-1642) vicar a precher thogh he be growen Idle negligent & slouthfull. a man defamed & of tainted life he hath two charges beside Wooton videlicet, Henley & Ownall (Ullenhall) he supplieth by his hirelinges : whereof one vpon a rumor of change of religion in mounsiers daies did shave his beard.(Indicative of a reversion to Catholicism) Value xl yearlie.

• The Nave

• The Font

• The Chained Library

• The Tomb Chest of John Harewell 1365-1428

• Votive crosses in the jamb of the south doorway

During the Black Death, bodies from Coventry were transported to the churchyard for burial in an area which has become known as the "Coventry Piece". This ground still cannot be disturbed.

Between the mill and the church is Wootton Hall, a large stone building in the Palladian style, mainly built in 1687 but incorporating parts of an earlier, probably Elizabethan, house. It was originally the home of the Carington family. Outbuildings behind the house are possibly the remains of the earlier manor-house. At the end of the Second World War the Hall was in a dilapidated condition and threatened with demolition but was bought in 1958 by Mr Bill Allen, of Allens caravans, who developed the grounds into a mobile home park. This development rescued and restored the Hall and revitalized the community.

• The War Memorial

• Wootton Hall and Park

• The Lodge Gate Wootton Hall

• Wootton Hall

Other notable buildings include the Bulls Head Inn, situated at the south end of the street, being an L-shaped low building of timber-framing, probably of the 16th century. Inside are wide fireplaces, one with a lintel inscribed M 1697 TH, and open-timbered ceilings, however there is a stone giving the date of the building as 1317. Three of the buildings north of it on the same side, and 'The Cottage', facing the south end of the village street, have remains of 17th-century framing. In a short lane south of the church is the old Workhouse, now a dwelling-house; it is a small timber framed building covered with rough-cast cement and has a gabled north end with a jettied upper story.

The Manor Farm, at the north end of the village, is built of early-18th-century brick, but the chimneystack of diagonal shafts looks earlier. The west front, slightly recessed between gabled cross-wings, has a doorway with a semi-domical hood carved with palm leaves and a basket of fruit and flowers.

• Cottages at Wootton Wawen

• Manor Farm Wootton Wawen

• Decorative Doorway Manor Farm