Monument record 0576901000 - ST MARY MAGDALENE'S CHURCH, FLAUNDEN

Summary

Thirteenth century church of St Mary Magdelene at Flaunden abandoned in the nineteenth century

Protected Status/Designation

  • Archaeological Notification Area: Remains of deserted Medieval hamlet and parish church of St Mary at Old Flaunden (DBC9209)
  • Listed Building (II): RUINS OF OLD CHURCH OF ST MARY MAGDALEN (650 METRES TO WEST OF MILL FARM) (DBC11120)
  • Scheduled Monument BU151: St Mary Magdalen's Church, Flaunden (DBC7189)

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Type and Period (1)

  • CHURCH (13th Century to 19th Century - 1200 AD to 1899 AD)

Description

Dimensions - Width 11m, Length 11m.
Plan Form - Cruciform.
Remains of church built c.1230. Abandoned when new church built in 1838. Church is in the form of a Greek cross. Walls survive to height of approx 1.5m. Whole area is covered in fallen stone & dense vegetation (B1-2,B7,B9).
Negative watching brief carried out by Mike Farley during excavation of fence post holes (B10).
Additional information gathered for preparation of information panel about the church (B11-B28).
Adjoining Priest's house not shown on 1898 2nd edn OS map (B23).
Grade II. Parish church, now a ruin. Early C13, abandoned in 1838 when new church of St. Mary Magdalen built in village (q.v). Flint with stone dressings. On the extreme southern-most edge of the Parish, almost in the County of Buckinghamshire. It was a small building with the plan of a Greek cross probably built about 1230. After 1838 fell into ruins, but a substantial portion remained in 1910. All that now exists is a portion of flint rubble walling hidden in the midst of a coppice on the edge of the River Chess. Scheduled Ancient Monument (Herts no. 15). (RCHM(1911)pp89-90 No.1: VCH(1908)227: Kelly(1914)p101: Pevsner(1977)p143)(B31).


[TQ 0084 9867] ST. MARY MAGDALEN'S CHURCH [GT] (In ruins) (B32).
The old church of Flaunden was abandoned in 1838 when the new church [situated at TL 0134 0079 on TL 00 SW] was built. In plan it is an equal limbed cross measuring internally 36' from E-W by 37' across the transepts. The nave and chancel are 13' wide, and the transepts 10' 6". The walls are of uniform thickness 2' 6". Built c. 1230 it retains a west doorway of this date but there is in the S transept a window of c. 1475. Now in a ruinous condition (B1).
Makes note of wall paintings (B19).
"Only a few crumbling walls remain" (B2).
With the exception of a portion of the E. wall of the N. transept which stands to a height of c. 3.0m., the walls of this church have almost completely collapsed. The cruciform plan can still be detrmined but the site is heavily overgrown. A.M. survey carried out (B33).

This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 4 June 2025 licensed under the Open Government Licence.

Sources (31)

  • <1>SBC16249 Bibliographic reference: 1908. Victoria County History of Hertfordshire vol 2 pp216,226-227,228-229. Vol 2.
  • <2>SBC13157 Bibliographic reference: RCHM. 1910. Inventory of the Monuments of Herfordshire pp89-90.
  • <3>SBC3432 Graphic material: DAVIS J 1735 A PLAN OF THE MANOR OF CHENIES ETC.
  • <4>SBC5364 Map: FLAUNDEN TITHE MAP 1838.
  • <6>SBC8329 Article in serial: 1965. MEDIEVAL VILLAGE RESEARCH GROUP 1965 13. No 13.
  • <7>SBC11418 Unpublished document: Ordnance Survey Field Investigator. OS RECORD CARDS TQ 09 NW 2-3,5 (COPIES FILED).
  • <8>SBC10200 Map: OS 1878-83 1:10560 MAP (& SUBSEQUENT EDITIONS).
  • <9>SBC4265 Scheduling record: DoE. 1983. SCHEDULING INFORMATION.
  • <10>SBC19095 Unpublished document: Michael Farley Archaeology. 2000. Watching Brief at the site of St. Mary Magdalene church, Flaunden, Bucks..
  • <11>SBC22093 Graphic material: Nicky Smith and Jonathan Parkhouse (BCMAS). 1996. Illustrations and text compiled for information panel at Flaunden Old Church.
  • <12>SBC22094 Photograph: Michael Farley. 2000. Photos by Mike Farley of fittings etc from Old Flaunden Church, now in new church at Flaunden.
  • <13>SBC22095 Photograph: H F Hallar. c.1930-1950. Photo by H F Hayllar of 'Ruins of old Church'.
  • <14>SBC22096 Article in serial: E W Arnold. 1946/7. 'Churches of the Past', in Hertfordshire Countryside. Vol 1, No 3.
  • <15>SBC22097 Graphic material: Hubert Williams. 1976. Drawing of Flaunden church in 1930, reproduced in 'Hertfordshire Countryside'. Vol 31, No.209.
  • <16>SBC22098 Article in serial: George Bastin. 1976. 'The Hertfordshire Village that Stole Away', in Hertfordshire Countryside. Vol.51, No.205.
  • <17>SBC22099 Article in serial: W A Pemberton. 1984. 'Bovingdon and Flaunden, 1764: A Negligent Minister in Trouble', in Hertfordshire's Past. Vol 16.
  • <18>SBC22100 Graphic material: J C Buckler. 1824. Plan of the Church and Priests House at Flaunden.
  • <19>SBC22101 Bibliographic reference: Nikolaus Pevsner & Bridget Cherry. 1977. The Buildings of England: Hertfordshire. p143.
  • <20>SBC22102 Bibliographic reference: Oldfield. Oldfield 'Hertfordshire' Vol 3 pp124-9. pp124-9.
  • <21>SBC22103 Graphic material: Henry Munro. 1815?. View of 'Flaunden Church, Herts' drawn by Henry Munro and engraved by W B Cooke in 1815.
  • <22>SBC22104 Graphic material: Major Busby?. undated. Unprovenanced and undated sepia or watercolour drawing of Flaunden Church.
  • <23>SBC22105 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1898. 1898 second edition 25inch OS map. 1:25,000.
  • <24>SBC22106 Graphic material: J Buckler. 1824. 'South East View of Flaunden Church, Hertfordshire'.
  • <25>SBC22107 Graphic material: J Buckler. 1824. ?Drawing of font.
  • <26>SBC22108 Article in serial: Unknown. Undated. 'Ancient Church Ruins', article in undated Hertfordshire newspaper.
  • <27>SBC22109 Unpublished document: Unknown. Undated. Pamphlet of Flaunden Old Church.
  • <28>SBC22110 Unpublished document: Arnold Baines. 1996. Correspondence from Arnold Baines to Linda Stone July 1996.
  • <31>SBC26897 Digital archive: Historic England. Unknown. National Heritage List for England: Listing Entry.
  • <32>SBC28766 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1922. OS 6" 1922.
  • <33>SBC29436 Unpublished document: C F Wardale (Ordnance Survey Field Investigator). 1959. Field Investigator Comments - F1 CFW 22-DEC-59.
  • <34>SBC27441 Digital archive: Historic England. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE). Update 2005, 2010, 2013.

Location

Grid reference TQ 00844 98669 (point)
Civil Parish CHENIES, Chiltern, Buckinghamshire

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (2)

  • Event - Survey: (EBC14137)
  • Event - Intervention: Watching brief: ST MARY MAGDALENE CHURCH, FLAUNDEN (EBC15945)

Record last edited

Apr 9 2026 3:47PM

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