Listed Building: Church of St. Mary (1266098)

Church. Early C13 origins, mainly mid C13 to mid C14. Regular coursed and squared coursed limestone part banded and dressed with ironstone. Ashlar spire and lead roofs. Aisled nave and chancel, transepts, north and south porches and west tower. South elevation of south chapel is of 3-window range with two 3-light Perpendicular windows to right and one similar 2-light window to left. 4-centred arch head, hollow jambs and crocketted hood moulds with carved label stops. Lean-to roof with castellated ashlar parapets and pinnacle at corner. 3 east windows, centre is 5-light Perpendicular window with panel tracery, 4-centred arch head and crocketted hood moulded with carved label stops. South aisle window to left is a similar 4-light window and north aisle window to right is 5-light with 2-centred arch head. Shallow gabled roof with castellated ashlar parapets links with lean-to roofs of north and south chapels. North elevation of north chapel is of 2-window range of 3- and 4-light Perpendicular windows with 4-centred arch heads, hollow jambs and carved label stops. Lean-to roof with castellated ashlar parapets and octagonal turret at north-east corner with similar parapet. South transept has 3-light south window with Y-tracery and cusping. 3-light Perpendicular east window with panel tracery. Shallow gable roof with head and ball-flower decoration to cornice and ironstone parapet. North transept has 4-light north window with tracery and 6 trefoils. 2-light east and west windows, trefoils and similar high level window adjacent to inside corner of each elevation. Shallow gabled roof with ashlar parapet and centre gargoyle in each face. South elevation of south aisle of 2 bays, one-window range-with 3-light Perpendicular window to right with panel tracery and 4-centred arch head. Shallow gabled roof with castellated ashlar parapets. Single-light arch-head west window. Gabled porch to left bay has moulded inner and outer doorways and ashlar gable parapets with square finial. North elevation of north aisle is similar to south: one-window range. 2-storey gabled porch to right bay has fine ogee head outer doorway with roll moulding and quatrefoils with shields in the spandrels; niche above with pinnacles. Trefoil-head inner door with one order of shafts. Plank and studded door with strap hinges. Vaulted ceiling with ridge ribs and tiercerons. 3-light Perpendicular west window and shallow gabled roof with plain parapets. Nave clerestory of 5-window range with three 2-light Perpendicular windows with 2-centred arch heads to west and 2 single-light square-head windows to east. Fine Perpendicular west tower of 4 stages with 3-stage, set back, angle buttresses to lower 3 stages. West doorway has roll moulded surround and gabled porch with roll moulded outer arch. Stone gabled roof with line of lower gable below linking with flying buttress to sides of flanking angle buttresses. Rib vaulted ceiling. 3-light Perpendicular window to west face of second stage. Diamond shape clock face surround to north and west faces of third stage. Pair of 2-light bell-chamber openings to each face of fourth stage. Quatrefoil frieze and cusped diagonal friezes above. Corbel table and parapet of openwork quatrefoils. Ribbed and crocketted pinnacles at corners; Set back octagonal spire with large openwork crockets linked to pinnacles with openwork flying buttresses. 3 tiers of lucarnes, the lower 2 tiers have mullions and transoms. Interior; 3-bay nave arcade of double chamfered arches with octagonal piers; arches corresponding with the transepts are larger. Double chamfered chancel arch with octagonal responds and triple chamfered tower arch. Double chamfered arches, with brackets across aisles, corresponding with transepts. Triple chamfered arch to north chapel and moulded arch set in square-head surround to south chapel has cusping in the spandrels and figures at the springing. 2-bay arcade of Perpendicular arches with 4-centred heads and central quatrefoil piers between chancel and north and south chapel. Fine strainer arch across nave corresponding with transepts has arched top and bottom with mouchettes forming wheels in the spandrels and openwork parapet with castellated top. Angels at the springing. Nave and aisle roofs with moulded beans and bases and angel corbels. C19 screen across tower arch has copy of strainer arch as upper section. Triple sedilia with piscina, to right of altar, all have moulded trefoil heads and shafts. Double 2-light window above into south chapel, now vestry. Niche to left of altar. Restored Perpendicular screens across chancel, between chancel arches and across transepts. Perpendicular pulpit. C13 octagonal font with stiff leaf decoration. Stained glass: mid C15 glass to upper parts of chancel and south chapel east windows: that in south chapel has some C14 insets and lower part of chancel is all C15. Similar mid C15 glass depicting 4 apostles in north aisle window. South transept and west windows of aisles all have stained glass, probably by Kempe. Monuments: Robert Pemberton died 1608 and wife, standing monument, at east end of south chapel, has 2 kneeling figures facing across a prayer desk. Flanking pilasters with symbolic decoration and 8 kneeling figures at base; armorial device at head. Monument is linked to walls by reredos with ogee-head arcade and castellated parapet. Vestry behind. Sir Goddard Pemberton died 1616, north wall of north chapel, reclining figure with armour under coffered arch with armorial device above. John Ekins died 1677, north wall of north chapel, brass tablet with flanking columns with pediment and armorial device over. Elizabeth Ekins died 1662, north wall of north chapel, plain brass tablet with plain marble surround. Various C18 and C19 inscribed tablets in floor of north chapel to Fletcher family. Various C19 brass tablets to Satoris family also in north chapel. The Pemberton, Ekins, Fletcher and Satoris family all in their time lived at Rushden Hall (q.v.). Inscription on arch to south chapel to Hugh and Julian Bocker who gave the south chapel to the church. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.394).

Record last edited

Sep 5 2023 2:40PM