Listed Building: All Saints Chancel (21/13)

Church. C13, C14 and C18, restored 1893. Squared coursed limestone with lead roof. Chancel only remains, nave, aisles and tower removed 1823/25. South elevation of 2 bays, one-window range. 3-light Perpendicular window to right with transom, cusping, hollow reveals and 4-centred arch head. Lower lights are blocked. Square-head opening now blocked, to left, has trefoil tracery, hood mould and carved label stops. Single-stage buttress to left, chamfered plinth and remains of string course. Shallow gabled roof with plain ashlar parapet and finial. 5-light Perpendicular east window with hollow reveals and 4-centred arch head. Lower section of window is blocked with an ashlar, panelled, screen. Chamfered plinth below window. Partially legible inscription on panel. North elevation has central, 2-light, Perpendicular window with transom, cusping, hollow reveals and 4-centred arch head. Small low side lancet window to right, now blocked. Fragment of return wall of nave aisle, attached to far right, is now formed into a buttress. West elevation has central, chamfered, chancel arch with semi-circular responds, now blocked. Central doorway, set in centre of arch, has 4-centred arch head and carved label stops. Interior: west wall has outline of former chancel arch. Fielded panelled reredos and side panelling to the sanctury. Centre panels have arched heads flanked by pilasters with Corinthian capitals. Panel to far right is hinged and has an MSS, on vellum, about the life and death of Henery Montagu, behind the panel. A panel on the right hand wall is also hinged to give access to a piscina. C19 roof structure. Monuments: Dame Letice Montagu died 1611. Inscribed tablet, bracketted from the south wall, with armorial device in panel above. Moulded cornice above is surmounted by a circular shell device with an obelisk above and flanking coronets. Henry Montagu died 1625. Tall marble obelisk against the south wall surmounted by an heraldic device. The upper section of the obelisk is divided into 5 panels bearing the arms of Henry Montagu's ancestors. An arched recess below has a figure of the deceased who drowned in infancy. Below is a representation of water with a central spout and flanking feet. Inscribed panels relate the manner of death. Hon. Richard Montagu died 1697: brass plaque behind hinged panel to right of altar, also illegible brass panel alongside. Thomas Dillingham died 1704: inscribed tablet on north wall with arms above and below and small arm above. Mrs. Elizabeth Creed died 1714: black arch-head tablet on west wall with ashlar surround, keyblock and moulded cornice surmounted by urn with torchere. The inscribed tablet may be reset. Matthew Hunt died 1729, and wife: inscribed tablet, on north wall, surmounted by urn with torchere is set in arched niche. William Dillingham, died 1744, and wife: inscribed tablet, on north wall, with moulded cornice and 3 finials. C18 tablet describing family of Sir Charles Montagu, against south wall. A brass tablet on the south wall records all members of the Montagu family, who became Earls of Sandwich, who were buried in the family vault beneath this church between 1625 and 1862. Various C17 and C18 black, inscribed, floor tablets, to Earls of Sandwich. Octagonal font, part supported off the wall and part supported on 2 octagonal columns. A helmet and rapier are attached to the wall above monument to Henry Montagu. The sanctaury panelling is said to have been a gift from John, second Duke of Montagu in 1740. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: p101)

Record last edited

Nov 22 2021 4:34PM