Listed Building: Church of St. Peter and St. Paul (1226135)

Church. C14 with C12 remains. Restored c.1866 by Sir G.G. Scott. Coursed limestone rubble, stone slate and lead roof. Chancel with vestry and organ chamber, nave and clerestory, north and south aisles with porches, west tower with octagonal spire. West porch. Exterior: North and south chancel walls late C12 with corbel table of carved heads. Perpendicular 4-light east window in chancel. Decorated windows in north and south chancel walls, 4-lights with reticulated tracery. (Renewed in south windows). Low side window with 4- centered head in south walls; priests doorway to east. Turret with stairs to former rood-loft in angle between chancel and south aisle. C19 vestry and organ chamber. Nave has battlemented parapet with sundial at south-east corner. Clerestory windows c.1500, each of 2 arched uncusped lights with square hoods. Roof pitch in north aisle lowered c.1500 and heads of large Decorated windows at east and west ends altered. 5-light west window retains some Decorated tracery but has been reduced in height and given square hood; east window has intersecting tracery, altered C19. Small doorway c.1500 with 4-centered head below west window in north aisle. Decorated south east window in north wall; 3- lights with reticulated tracery. 3-light Perpendicular window to left. C15 north porch has parapet with ball finials, probably of c.1832 (datestone with illegible inscription). Large Decorated east window in south aisle, 5-lights, has tracery with a wheel and triangles. Other south aisle windows are Decorated with reticulated and flowing tracery. Perpendicular south porch, originally gabled, now has C18 castellated parapet. Doorway has 4-centred arch with quatrefoil spandrels and square hood. Similar doorway to south aisle. Early C15 tower of 3 stages. 2-light bell openings with transoms and flowing tracery under square hoods, the end stops carved as figures with musical instruments. Straight parapet with blind quatrefoil tracery and gargoyles. At each corner a pair of crocketed pinnacles is linked by flying buttresses to octagonal spire which has 2-light lucarnes framed by pinnacles. Ridges of spire ornamented with crockets, and near apex, a band of fleur-de-lys. C15 west porch with crocketed pinnacles and square gable with canoped niche containing a headless statue of Virgin and Child flanked by kneeling figures. Porch interior has fan-vaulting. Doorway to nave has 4-centered arch with quatrefoil spandrels. Interior: Norman style blank arcading on north and south walls of chancel. C12 shafts, C19 arches with zig-zag mouldings; C19 piscinia and sedilia, but piscinia has re- used C12 mouldings. C14 chancel arch has hood with head stops and C19 responds. Chancel roof C19. North and south nave arcades 3-bays, plus fourth bay which forms base of tower. South arcade late C12, rebuilt and heightened C14 as indicated by tall proportions similar to C14 north arcade and use of ballflower moulding on one of the capitals. Retains C12 round piers with square abaci. Capital of east pier has scalloped decoration and that of north respond waterleaf. Unmoulded pointed arches have hood with nail-head decoration. C14 north arcade has quatrefoil piers with moulded capitals and double chamfered arches. Re-used C12 fragments at base of 2-piers, including part of scalloped capital. Panelled timber roof in nave c.1500, with carved and gilded bosses. C14 piscinia with cusped ogee arch and pinnacles in south aisle. Recess below south east window ornamented with band of quatrefoil, trefoils and blank shields. Panelled timber roof in south aisle, c.1500, with carved bosses one with the letter "R". North aisle roof similar, also c.1500 has bosses with heraldic shields. Fittings: Romanesque font with roughly cut bowl. Screen c.1866 by Sir G.G. Scott. Pews c.1842 with carved poppy heads. (Architect for re-pewing was D.G. Squirhill, as recorded on wooden tablet in south aisle). Wood panel carved with 3 pairs of figures in relief, c.1500, in north aisle. Wall monument in chancel to Thomas Langton Freke died 1769. Plaster relief of "The Resurrection" with two-thirds life size figures of Christ holding banner and angel trampling on a skeleton. In the style of Roubilliac. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire p.278-9).

Record last edited

Feb 15 2024 3:54PM