Listed Building: Church of St. Mary the Virgin (1371745)

Church. Mid C14 and C19. Squared coursed ironstone with limestone dressings and lead roof. Aisled nave, chancel, transepts, south porch and west tower. South chancel of 3-window range, of 3-liqht ogee-head windows with Reticulated tracery. 3 large, 4-stage buttresses between windows. Similar 5-light ogee-head east window and flanking buttresses. Square-head gate opening below window gives access to the Dolben family vault. Shallow gable roof with plain ashlar parapet. North chancel elevation similar to south with vestry attached to east end in similar style. Datestone above vestry door S.W.P./Vicar/AD/1841. South transept of 2-window range to east and one-window range to west with 3-light windows with Y-tracery, 3-light ogee-head south window has Reticulated tracery. Shallow gable roof with castellated parapet and gargoyles. North transept is similar with castellated turret at intersection with chancel. South aisle of 3-window range of 3-light ogee-head windows with Reticulated tracery and similar west window. Lean-to roof with castellated parapet and gargoyles. 2-storey south porch, between windows, has C14 roll moulded openings, quadripartite ceiling vault, ribbed and studded doors, and C18 wrought iron gates. 4-light first floor window with transom. Shallow gabled roof with castellated parapets and gargoyles. North aisle is of 2-window range similar to south. 3- and 4-stage buttresses at all corners and between window ranges. Nave clerestory of 8-window range of 2-light ogee-head windows. Shallow gable roof with castellated parapet. West tower of 4 stages with 3-stage angle buttresses to lower 3 stages. West door has ogee-head, roll moulding and flanking pinnacles. 3-light window above has Reticulated tracery. 2-light north and south windows to third stage have decorated frieze above. Pairs of tall, 2-light, bell-chamber openings to each face of fourth stage have frieze of quatrefoils and ogres above. Castellated parapet with recessed spire above 2 tiers of lucarnes. Various inscribed tablets attached to chancel and transept walls. Interior: 3-bay nave arcade of quatrefoil piers and arches with sunk moulding. Two C20 piers on south side have square demi-shafts. Additional one bay transept arcade has a 6-shafted north pier and a quatrefoil pier to south with a foliated capital. Strainer arch across nave between nave and transept arcade has an inverted arch parapet with castellation and quatrefoils and circles and lozenges in the spandrels. Angel heads at the springing. Chancel arch similar to nave arcade with foliated capitals. Triple stepped and chamfered tower arch is only partially visible. Chancel roof is mainly C14 with arch tie beams and bosses. Similar aisle roofs and panelled transept roofs with moulded beams. C19 chancel roof with evidence of C14 vaulting to side walls. Remains of triple sedilia and piscina to south wall of chancel. C19 stone reredos below east window and stone chancel screen of c.1858. C12 octagonal font probably recarved in C18 and mounted on C19 columns. Fine organ case on west gallery is c.1717 by Christopher Schrider decorated with leaf carving, scrolls, cherubs and open pediments. C19 stained glass to east window, 2 south and one north chancel windows and 2 transept east windows and one north window. One south window of 1847 may be by Wailes. Monuments out transept, 2 marble tablets to Reverend James Affleck, died 1784 and his family. North aisle floor: black marble tablet to Johannes Newcomen died 1727. North aisle west wall: marble tablet by John Hunt to William Roberts died 1750. South aisle west wall; marble tablet by William Cox to Sussana Payne died 1766. Dolben vault under east end of chancel; 2 busts by John Hunt, one is in a niche, the other is a roundel to Mary Dolben died 1710 and Elizabeth Dolben died 1736. 14 other marble plaques to members of the Dolben family are visible from entrance to vault. Belfry has C17 painted inscription on wall. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.209).

Record last edited

Jan 11 2024 9:19AM