Listed Building: Church of St. Andrew (1040253)

Church. Late C12, C13, C14 chancel added after foundation of College at Cotterstock in 1337, C15 porch, restored and extended 1876. Coursed limestone rubble, squared coursed limestone and limestone ashlar with Colleyweston slate and lead roofs. Aisled nave chancel south porch, vestry and west tower. South elevation of chancel is ashlar with a 3-window range of large, 3-light, Decorated windows with cusped lozenges. 2-stage buttresses between bays. Plain parapet with 2 gargoyles. Steeply gabled roof with Colleyweston slates and ashlar gable parapets. 5-light east window is similar to south aisle windows. Central buttress below window and flanking 3-stage buttresses, stringcourse above window and plain gable above. North elevation of chancel of 3 bays, 2-window range of 3-light windows similar to the south elevation. Central 2 stage buttress and priest's door to left. Gabled vestry c.1876 projects from bay to far left. C19 octagonal flue rises from parapet of main roof. South aisle of bays, one-window range with a 2-light square-head window to the right. 2-stage clasping buttresses at the corners. Lean-to roof with ashlar gable parapets. 2-light east and west windows; west window has a square head. Ashlar gabled porch projects from left bay. Outer doorway has 4-centre arch head and moulded stone surround with multi-polygonal responds. Inner doorway is double chamfered with a 2-centred arch head. 2-stage clasping buttresses at corners. 2-light square head windows, in return walls, have central gargoyles above. Shallow gabled roof, with castellated ashlar parapet, has armorial beasts at apex and eaves. Tierceron-vaulted ceiling with ridge ribs and fine carved bosses. North aisle of 3 bays, 2-window range of 2-light square head windows. North doorway, in bay to right, has 2-centred arch head and moulded surround. Single-stage clasping buttresses at corners. Lean-to roof with ashlar parapets. 2-light east and west windows; west window has square head. Nave clerestory of 2-window range of 2-light square-head windows. Shallow gabled roof has plain ashlar parapet with corbel table. West tower of regular coursed rubble. 3 stages with ashlar clasping buttresses to western corners of lower 2 stages. Late C12 west doorway has one order of shafts with scalloped capitals and semi-circular arch with zig-zag decoration. Niche, above, has a carved bracket and C19 statue of St. Andrew. Small single-light window above. There are no divisions between the lower 2 stages on the south and west faces. The lower stage on the north face is rendered. C13 two-light bell-chamber openings with plate tracery, one order of shafts and central shafts. Perpendicular castellated ashlar parapet has panel decoration. Evidence of blocked openings in south wall of tower. Interior: 2-bay nave arcade of early C13 double-chamfered arches with circular piers and octagonal capitals. Double chamfered chancel arch with semi-circular responds and double chamfered tower arch with semi-circular responds and nailhead decoration to the capitals. Original chancel ceiling, following a shallower pitch than the gabled roof above it, has moulded beams with 5 carved bosses. C19 nave and aisle roofs. Piscina and triple sedilia, to right of altar, has ogee head openings with carved label stops and crocketing. Ogee-head niche to left of altar. Doorway to vestry has traces of paintwork on hood mould and originally led to the College buildings. Stone benches to aisle walls. Coffin lid forms bench end to left of south doorway. Squints to right and left of chancel arch. Carved bracket to left of north aisle east window. Stained glass: fragments of medieval glass in north east window of north aisle. C19 and C20 stained glass in centre and east windows of north aisle, south east and east windows of south aisle and belfry window. Perpendicular octagonal font decorated with eleborate cusping. Monuments: Defaced effigy in tower probably a C13 Canon. Robert Wintringham, Canon of Lincoln died 1420, brass effigy with architectural surround with tall pinnacles. John Sinscare died 1760 by Edward Bingham of Peterborough. Inscribed tablet in tower with flanking tapered pilasters and obelisk over; naval still-life below. Various C18 and C19 inscribed tablets in tower. The Chantry College was founded for a provost and 12 Canons by John Gifford, Canon of York and was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, Blessed Apostles, St. Andrew and All Saints. It was dissolved in 1536. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: p160; VCH: Northamptonshire; Vol.2: p166; RCHM: An Inventory of Architectural Monuments in North Northamptonshire: p37)

Record last edited

Dec 18 2023 2:41PM