Building record 305/1/1 - Church of St. John the Baptist

14th century church. Chancel restored 1872 by A. Hartshorne. Coursed limestone and ironstone rubble, slate roof. Chancel and north organ chamber, nave and north aisle. South porch. West tower.

{1} Church. C14. Chancel restored 1872 by A. Hartshorne. Coursed limestone and ironstone rubble, slate roof. Chancel and north organ chamber, nave and north aisle. South porch. West tower. Decorated 3-light east window in chancel. South windows and priest's doorway also Decorated. Low side window to left of doorway is a trefoil headed lancet with transom. South nave windows have C19 tracery. Porch C14, inner doorway also C14, has crocketed ogee hood with finial and head stops. Decorated 2-light window with wing tracery in north aisle. C14 tower has corner pinnacle, 2-light bell openings with flowing tracery and a recessed saddleback roof. Small stone figure high up on east side. Interior: C14 trefoil headed piscina recess in chancel. 3-bay north arcade with octagonal piers and double chamfered arches. Roofs C19. Wall painting of St. Christopher, C14 (north wall) nave. Stained glass c.1872 by Powell and Sons in east and 2 south chancel windows. Mosaic reredos also by Powell. Monument to Kirton died 1601, and wife with 12 children. Stone wall monument with kneeling figures in relief; with kneeling figures of family in frame with open scroll pediment and reclining figures flanking a coat of arms. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.429);

{3} The chancel was restored by the architect Albert Hartshorne in 1872. Powell's of Whitefriars supplied several windows for the rebuilt chancel as well as an early example of opus sectile work for the reredos, which, unusually, was to the architects own design. It includes the figures of St Mary and St John and cost £30;

{6} Undated photo.

{7} [Former list description] Stone, slate roofs. Low W. tower, the lower part. Early English, the upper Decorated. Stone gabled roof behind parapet with door on E. side and crocketted finials. Plain parapet with pinnacles and large gargoyles below parapet string. On the E. side of the tower is a flat niche with a figure. The church is mainly Decorated with ogee crocketted S. door, mouldings supported on carved heads of a king and a queen. The monuments in the chancel are mostly to the Humphrey family and their connections, and are all wall tablets with carved coats of arms. They include Raphael Humphrey and his sons Nathanial and Raphael, late C.17; Robert
Pargitor, Rector, 1720; Ptclemy Humphrey, Rector, 1787; Nathanial Humphrey, 1744; and Dorothy Bartee, 1714. At the W. end of the N. aisle is a monument to Thomas Kirton, 1601, his wife, 1597, and thirteen children, of kneeling figures in front of an arcaded background flanked by caryatide supporting entablature with frieze of shields and scrolls, broken scroll pediment with figures and central cartouche of arms in circle.

{9} (SP 53224496) Church

{11} Pencil sketches, drawing of chain mail found on effigy, notes and sketches of Kirton monument, notes on family tree of Kirtons, sketches of crests, painting of crest, painting of church, plans and sections of parts of church with measurements;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 7/232 (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F02 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<2> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.428 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<3> Pearson L., 2003, Gazeteer of British Tile and Architectural Ceramic Sites: County Draft, Northamptonshire, p.3 (unchecked) (Gazetteer). SNN103233.

<4> Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society, 2011, TACS (Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society) Location Database, (unchecked) (Gazetteer). SNN107648.

<5> Baker G., 1830, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.722-24 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77327.

<6> Photographs of buildings in Thorpe Mandeville (Photographs). SNN113592.

<7> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, DOE(HHR) Dist. of Brackley R.D. Northants. Sept. 1960 92 (Report). SNN112993.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP54SW12 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<9> Ordnance Survey Map (Scale/date), OS 6" 1955 (Map). SNN112944.

<10> Historic England, St John the Baptists Church, Thorpe Mandeville, BF107422 (Archive). SNN115518.

<11> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/269/1-13 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 9:07AM