Listed Building: Church of St. Leonard (1371965)

Church. C12 origins. C13, C14 and C16 restored by J.C. Traylen 1895. Regular coursed and squared coursed limestone with lead and Colleyweston slate roofs. Aisled nave and chancel, south porch and west tower. South elevation of chancel of 3-window range of 2-light windows. Right hand window has Y- tracery, others have plate tracery. Steeply gabled roof with Colleyweston slates and ashlar gable parapets and finials. 3-light east window has intersecting tracery with trefoils. Flanking clasping buttresses. North elevation of chancel is of one blank bay. The north chapel, now the vestry, projects over 2 bays of the chancel. South aisle of 4 bays, 2-window range. 2-light window, with reticulated tracery, to right of centre and 3-light window, with 4-centred arch head, to far left. Lean-to roof with plain ashlar parapets. 2-light east window has reticulated tracery and 2-light west window has square head with Caernavon head lights. C14 gabled porch, to left of centre, has chamfered and moulded outer arch with semi-circular responds and moulded inner arch. Gabled roof has Colleyweston slate covering and ashlar gable parapets. North aisle of 6 bays, 3-window range. 3-light windows with 4-centred arch heads and hollow reveals, to left of centre, and to far left and right. North doorway, to right of centre, has single chamfered and hollowed surround with carved label stops. Single-stage angle buttresses to corners. Buttresses to right have partially legible C17 inscription. 2-light east window has quatrefoil circle. 2-light west window is similar to west window of south aisle. Lean-to roof with ashlar gable parapets. Nave clerestory of 4-window range of single-light square-head windows. Unbuttressed west tower, is post medieval, of 3 uneven stages with a chamfered plinth. 2-light west window, in lower stage, has Y-tracery. Single light windows to north, south and west faces of second stage. There is no deliniation between the lower and middle stages on the west face. 2-light bell-chamber openings, to each face of upper stage, have 4-centred arch heads. Plain ashlar parapets with gargoyles, to right of centre on north, south and west faces. Interior: 4-bay nave arcade. 2 bays, to west of south aisle, are early C13, double-chamfered semi-circular arches with circular pier, octagonal capital and semi-circular responds. 2 bays to west of north aisle are late C13, double-chamfered pointed arches with circular piers and semi-circular responds. 2 bays to west of north aisle, are late C13 double-chamfered pointed arches with similar circular piers and responds. Sections of wall, to centre of nave, between pairs of arcades. Double-chamfered chancel arch with semi-circular responds and plain pointed tower arch, now plastered. Double-chamfered arch, with semi-circular responds, between chancel and north chapel. Arch-head niche, with dog-tooth decoration, to right of altar. Piscina in window cill alongside. Piscina on wall shaft in south wall of vestry and arch-head piscina in south wall of south aisle. The east window and central south window of chancel have a single, continuous, shafted surround. C19 roof structures, the chancel roof is a barrel vault. Pulpit has Jacobean panels; Jacobean communion rail with turned balusters. Perpendicular octagonal font with panelled stem and quatrefoil bowl. 2 reading desks in chancel incorporate linenfold panelling. 2 pews to east end of nave have original bench ends. Medieval wall paintings: various fragments, the largest, on the north wall of the north aisle, depicts St. Christopher. Monuments; various C18 and C19 inscribed floor panels. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: p225; RCHM: An Inventory of Architectural Monuments in North Northamptonshire: p76)

Record last edited

Feb 6 2024 3:33PM