Listed Building: Church of St. Mary (5/77)

Church. C13, C14, C16, chancel rebuilt 1690. Coursed squared ironstone, coursed ironstone rubble, some limestone dressings, lead roofs. Chancel, nave, north and south aisles, south porch, west tower. East window has 3 lights and intersecting tracery. To north side of chancel 4-light mullion window with hood-mould to east, and similar 2-light window to west. To south side a 2-light mullion window and datestone inscribed DK/1690 over blocked priests door, to west of which a straight-headed low side window with hood-mould. North aisle has 2-light mullion windows either side of narrow re-used north door with pointed double-chamfered arch with hood-mould and label stops; west window with 4-centred arched head blocked except for one light. South aisle has east window of 3 lights and intersecting tracery with hood-mould, and a 3-light straight-headed window with hood-mould to east of porch, a 2-light pointed window to west; small 1-light round arched west window. South porch has double-chamfered door with hood-mould, small 2-light pointed arch east window, chamfered plinth, coped gable and tile roof. Many moulded pointed south door with hood mould and label stops. Clerestory has four 3-light straight-headed windows north and south with hood-moulds. Plain parapets to chancel, nave and aisles. 3 stage west tower has 2-light Decorated west window with hood-mould and label stops, niche above with hodding ogee-head, crocketted gable and pinnacles, and 2-light belfry windows with cusped Y-tracery and hood-moulds with label stops. Chamfered plinth, string courses, diagonal buttresses to south-east and south-west corners, side buttresses to north-east and north-west angles, and plain parapet with corbel table. Interior: chancel has stained glass east window of 1866, and in side windows C16 and C17 painted glass squares and roundels of continental origin, and also armorial panels. Late C18 or early C19 Gothick communion table, rails and clergy chairs. C18 stone and marble pavement. Nave has late medieval tie-beam roof and 3-bay arcades with double chamfered arches, round columns and octagonal capitals. Stone chequer floor with inset black marble tomb slabs and 2 C16 Purbeck marble slabs with brasses. Late C18 box pews incorporating C16 linenfold and tracery panels, other panels with Renaissance profile heads and figurative scenes. C16 style hall pew in south aisle with tracery panels and linenfold. C16 painted glass panels in aisle windows. Early C19 chamber organ with keyboard supported on Greek Doric columns. In glass case in north-west aisle window painted wood Commandments made to resemble open bible, hatchments and painted Hanoverian Royal Arms in tower. Outstanding series of brasses, wall monuments and tomb chest with effigies to members of Knightley family C16-C19. (Buildings of England: Northants, p.213-4).

Record last edited

Dec 16 2024 2:53PM