• 1785

Drawing 1 shows a reredos semicircular on plan that, not counting its three pinnacles, is 15½ feet high. The curved plan suggests an apsidal end to the square-ended chancel with stepped corners. The reredos is designed in a Gothic style with five blind, arcaded, trefoil arches; it no longer exists (Pevsner and Wilson).

Drawing 2 has a more fully worked out plan for the reredos that is now of three rather than five bays. But essentially it is a design for the communion rail with trefoil-headed openings alternating with 'pedestals'.

The chancel is shown on the drawings as 28 feet wide and 50 feet long; overall, the church is about 160 feet long. It was built from 1319 to 1359; the chancel in c. 1335-40. The elevation shows a three-light window with intersecting tracery which was replaced in 1825 by a larger window filled with German stained glass of c. 1535.

Soane's Bill Book 1 (p.167) has entries for Hingham church dated between 14 April 1785 and 31 December 1788. These show that as well as a reredos (termed 'altar' by Soane) and communion rail, he also designed a pulpit and gravestones. Commencing with a survey, Soane made about eight visits in all and sent more than 15 design and working drawings on various occasions. A payment 'in full' of £20 is recorded in the last entry of this Bill Book.

Jill Lever, April 2011

Scheme

Digitisation of the Drawings Collection has been made possible through the generosity of the Leon Levy Foundation

If you have any further information about this object, please contact us: drawings@soane.org.uk