Listed Building: CHURCH OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN (1191333)

Church. Late C12 and C13 restored 1850 and 1876 by Benjamin Ferry and Sir G.G.Scott; organ chamber added 1892 by Ferry. Regular coursed limestone with ashlar tower, spire and dressings. Lead and Colleyweston slate roofs. Aisled nave, chancel, north and south porches, organ chamber/vestry and west tower. South elevation of chancel of 2-window range of 2- and 3-light windows with hollow reveals, under 4-centred-arch heads. Central priest door, now blocked. 2 stage ashlar buttress to right of centr and similar clasping buttress at corner. Steeply gabled roof with Colleyweston slates, ashlar parapets and finial. 5-light east window has hollow reveals and 4-centred-arch head. North elevation of chancel of 3 bays, 2-window range, of 2-light windows with quatrefoil circles. Left bay is blank. Priest door to left of centre has semi-circular head and projecting square capital to right side. 2-stage ashlar buttresses between bays and gabled clasping buttress to left corner. Ashlar parapets. S uth aisle of five bays, 4-window range. 3-light windows to left and right bays are formed as triple lancets with roll mouldings, 2 orders of shafts and dogtooth decoration to window heads to right. 2-stage buttresses between bays and single-stage buttresses at ends. Relieving arch, below window, to far left. Lean-to roof with ashlar parapet. 3-light west window has hollow reveals and 4-centred-arch head. C19 organ/vestry chamber is attached to east end of south aisle. One-bay extension of lim stone ashlar with 3-light south window under 4-centred-arch head and lancet to east. 2-stage buttress at corner and plain parapet with chimney at corner. South porch, restored 1876, to centre bay of south aisle has hollowed and moulded outer doorway with 4 orders of shafts and dogtooth decoration. Hood mould with label stops. Inner doorway is similar with 3 orders of shafts. Single-stage buttresses flanking outer doorway and 2-stage buttresses at corners. Shallow gabled roof with ashlar parap ts and finial. Triple arcading to inside walls of porch has detached columns with fleur-de-lis at each spiringing. Quadripartite ribb vault. Studded plank door has strap hinges. North aisle of 5-window range of 2-light windows with quatrefoil circles. Centre window is truncated by north porch. 2-stage ashlar buttresses between bays. Gabled clasping buttress to left corner. Square turret set diagonally across right corner gives access to roof and has plain parapet and 2-stage buttress alongside. Lean-to roof with ashlar parapet. 3-light east window. Central north porch, restored 1876, has chamfered and moulded outer doorway, with 2 orders of shafts, and similar inner doorway with one order of shafts. Quadripartite rib vault. Gabled clasping buttresses and shallow gabled roof with ashlar parapet. Nave clerestory of 5-window range of 2-light windows with quatrefoil circles. Small circular windows between 3 centre bays. Shallow gabled roof with ashlar parapet and finial. Parapet is cont nued down the eastern angles of the clerestory. Cusped circles to east wall of nave, to either side of chancel roof. West tower of 4 stages with plinth, the upper stage is subdivided. 3-stage ashlar angle buttresses. West doorway has 2-centred-arch head with inner trefoil head and 4 orders of shafts. Bands of dogtooth and alternate rosette decoration. Blocked opening above west door has moulded arch head, one order of shafts and foliage decoration. Lancet windows to north and south faces of l wer stage. Trefoil circles to north, south and west faces of second stage. Upper stage is ashlar with large 2-light bell-chamber openings with 3 orders of shafts, trefoil circle, roll mouldings and dogtooth decoration. Corbel table above is decorated with trefoils and quatrefoils. Broach spire has 3 tiers of lucarnes. The lower 2 tiers have 2-light openings with shafts and dogtooth decoration. Interior: 5-bay nave arcade of stepped and moulded arches. The north arcade has octagonal piers and he south arcade circular piers. Similar chancel arch has single shafts with stiff leaf capitals. Triple chamfered tower arch has octagonal responds. Nave roof is a C13 wooden quadripartite rib vault with 10 carved bosses. The vaulting shafts are similar to the chancel arch. Aisle roofs retains some original cross beams. North aisle roof has carved bosses and corbels and date 1650. C19 barrel vaulted chancel roof. 5-light window with plain mullions is now open to the organ/vestry chamber. Carved fragments set in wall to left and right of east window. Square-head recess to left of altar. Priests door, to left, has moulded surround. South aisle has piscina with trefoil head and pointed hood, also a holy water stoup. 2 tomb recesses also in south aisle. Octagonal font dated 1662 has 4 scroll brackets supporting bowl. Perpendicular wood screen, resotred C19. Paraclose screen, in north aisle, has early Renaissence detail with some original linenfold panelling. Reredos behind altar incorpo ates fragments of screen. C15 pulpit restored C19. Benches to north west of nave have alternate high and low ends with crude fleur-de-lis. Stained glass: late C19 early C20 east window and south window of chancel. Monuments: plain chest tomb to north wall of chancel. Sir Robert Kirkham; chest tomb, to north wall of north aisle, about C1500, decorated with quatrefoils and panel tracery. Thomas Elmes, died 1664; oval wreath with flanking detached columns, and broken pediment over, north wall of north aisle. Robert Moyer died 1719; and his sons; inscribed tablets with cherubs heads above, south wall of south aisle. Sarah Cuthbert died 1723; inscribed tablet with bust set in open segmental pediment, to south wall of chancel. Tablet on north wall of north aisle describing transfer of lands to Warmington Vicarage 1735-41. Various inscribed floor tablets and C19 wall tablets. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: p444; VCH: Northamptonshire, vol.3: p113; RCHM: An Inventory of Architect ral Monuments in North Northamptonshire: p157)

Record last edited

Dec 19 2022 1:26PM