Building record 830/2/1 - Church of St. Michael and All Angels

Church constructed mainly of ironstone and limestone with slate and lead roofs, comprises Early English nave, Decorated tower, and 15th Century chancel and 16th Century clerestory. The church was restored and reseated in 1890 by E de Wilde Holding. The church consists of a chancel, choir vestry and organ chamber in the south chancel aisle, north chancel chapel and vestry, nave aisles, north and south porches, and west tower.

{1} Church. C13 to C15. Chancel rebuilt, south chancel aisle added, and whole church restored and reseated 1890 by E. de Wilde Holding. Chancel, choir vestry and organ chamber in south chancel aisle, north chancel chapel and vestry, nave, aisles, north and south porches, west tower. Coursed squared ironstone and limestone, and coursed rubble, ironstone dressings, lead roofs, except for plain-tile roof to chancel. 2-bay chancel has 5-light east window with C19 curvilinear tracery flanked by offset buttresses. White marble wall monument below sill to Samuel Whitfield, patron of living and benefactor, d.1734 with coat of arms and ironstone hood-mould carved with helmet above arms. 2-light reset Decorated east windows to vestries either side. Similar windows flank re-set priest's door to south with stepped round-arched head and imposts. Limestone panel above, with Whitfield coat of arms. Vestry door to north with hood mould and 3-light window to north-west with ogee-headed lights and straight head. Nave has 4-bay clerestory with 3-light straight-headed windows, those to north-west and south-west with pointed cinquefoil-headed lights; lead rainwater heads, those to south dated 1808. North aisle has ogee-moulded north doorway with 4-centred head in chamfered stone surround with straight head; C19 gabled porch. 2- and 3-light straight-headed windows to east of porch, coupled lancet window to west. South aisle has similar 2- and 3-light windows to south and west. Two fine early C18 gargoyle heads. Many-moulded south door with hood mould in C19 south porch with 2-light windows either side with Y-tracery. 3-stage west tower has west door with chamfered stone surround and lintel. 2-light window above with renewed Decorated tracery. Clock face to north with moulded stone surround. One-light windows to ground floor and middle stage south with cusped ogee hood-mould. 2-light Decorated bell-chamber openings with quatrefoils to heads. Battlemented parapet with pinnacles to angles and recessed spire with 2 tiers of lucarnes. Masonry of tower banded with limestone; diagonal buttresses. All windows have hood moulds. Interior: chancel has double-chamfered arch to north chancel chapel, innermost on corbels. C19 3-bay arcade to south chancel aisle. Double-chamfered chancel arch with polygonal responds. South chancel chapel has small piscina with pointed hollow-chamfered arch and 2-light C13 east window, now internal, which has Y-tracery with nailhead decoration and hollow-chamfered jambs and mullion. Nave has C13 4-bay arcades, that to south earlier with round piers, semi-circular responds, moulded capitals, 2 with stiff-leaf foliage and chamfered arches. Octagonal piers to north with polygonal responds, moulded capitals and double-chamfered arches. Triple-chamfered tower arch with polygonal responds and moulded capitals. Octagonal font, C15. C15 rood screen with ribbed coving and Perpendicular tracery. Painted glass panel in north aisle window of Christ carrying C.L. Gray 1827. Stained-glass east window c.1900, C19 stained glass window in tower, other stained glass windows of c.1900 to aisles. Monuments: brass plate to John Wyatt, d.1658. White marble wall monument either side of altar, that to right dated 1704 to Alicia Whitfield d.1697 and other members of same family, with coat of arms and flanking volutes. That to left to Anne Whitfield, d.1711 and to her husband Samuel, d.1734, in garlanded cartouche topped by urn with flame finial and coat of arms. Wall monument to Reverend Samuel Kenton, d.1753, and his wife d.1747, erected by their only child Catherine; of coloured marbles with obelisk background, coloured cartouche of arms and signed Henry Cox, Northampton. Similar wall monument to Catherine and Reverend Francis Reynesford, d.1785, with urn finial and cherub's head below. Similar wall monument to James Wassen, d.1797. Other C19 wall monuments. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, 1973, p.129; D. Peet, A Brief History and Architectural Description of the Parish Church of St. Michael and All Angels at Bugbrooke, 1970).

{3} The church of St Michael at Bugbrooke is basically 13th century with later additions and restoration of the 18th century.

{7} Undated photo, also two photos dated 07.12.1993;

{10} Photograph, sketches and drawings;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 12/8 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F09 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.129 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Baker G., 1830, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.126-28 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77327.

<5> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<6> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.486-88 (unchecked) (Book). SNN100366.

<7> Photographs of buildings in Bugbrooke (Photographs). SNN112151.

<8> Ordnance Survey Map (Scale/date), OS 6" 1958 (Map). SNN112944.

<9> Historic England, St Michael and All Angels Church, Bugbrooke, BF107260 (Archive). SNN115043.

<10> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/50/1-5 (Archive). SNN115.

<11> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 145-6 (Book). SNN111989.

Record last edited

Mar 20 2025 4:29PM