Listed Building: Church of St. John the Baptist (1040380)

Church. Mid C13, C14, C17, north aisle and arcades rebuilt and restored 1849 by E.F. Law. Regular coursed and squared coursed limestone with ashlar dressings. Welsh slate and C19 fish-scale tile roofs. Aisled nave, chancel, south porch and tower attached to north aisle. South elevation of chancel of 3 bays, 2-window range with C14 three-light square-head window to left and restored lancet to right. Single chamfered south doorway to centre. 2-stage buttresses between bays. Steep gabled roof with ashlar gable parapets. 3-light early Perpendicular east window with panel tracery. Flanking buttresses. North elevation of chancel. 3 blank bays with 2-stage buttresses between. South aisle of 4 bays, 3-window range of 3-light windows with intersecting tracery. Lean-to roof with ashlar parapets. Rainwater head has date 1913. 2-light east window with Y-tracery and single lancet west window with renewed tracery. Gabled porch to left of centre has hollow chamfer and moulded outer arch and double chamfered and stepped inner doorway with one order of shafts. C19 plank door with strap hinges. Datestone on porch 1635. North aisle of 3-window range of C19 two-light windows with 2-stage buttresses between bays. Lean-to roof with ashlar parapet. West lancet window. C13 tower is attached to east end of north aisle by vestry of one-window range with 2-light east window. Tower of 3 stages with shallow 2-stage gabled angle buttresses to lower stage. North face of lower stage has triple arcading with shafts. Centre is a two-light window, restored C19. Outer arcades are blank with trefoil heads. Small doorway with roll moulding and shafts, in west face. Second stage is recessed with shallow angle buttresses to mid-point of each face. 2-light bell-chamber openings, with enclosing arch and shafts, to each face of upper stage. Castellated parapet and short plain pinnacles at corners. Inscribed tablet on east face of tower commemorates C20 restoration funded by squadrons of U.S. Air Force. West elevation of nave has 4-light Perpendicular window with panel tracery. Nave clerestory of 3-window range of lancets restored C19. Shallow gabled roof with ashlar gable parapet and finial. Interior: 4-bay nave arcade of C13 double-chamfered arches with octagonal piers, all restored C19. East pier on north side is formed of 2 octagonal responds and circular respond to double chamfered arch at end of north aisle. Double chamfered chancel arch with octagonal responds. Double hollow chamfered arch across east bay of south aisle has corbelled respond with carved head and foliage. Triple chamfered tower arch with octagonal responds. C19 roof structures. Double piscina with shaft between, to right of altar, is partially enclosed by east wall of chancel. 2 square-head niches to left of altar and shallow niches to left and right of east window have C20 figures. Trefoil-head piscina to right of south aisle altar. C19 octagonal font. Monuments: 2 mid C19 tablets in chancel. C19 stained glass window to north-east window of north aisle. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.148; V.C.H.: Northamptonshire, Vol.4, p.8; Northamptonshire County Records Office - drawings collection).

Record last edited

Jan 16 2024 10:18AM