Building record 68/1/2 - St. Peter's Chapel, Steane Park

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Summary

St Peter's Chapel at Steane Park. Chapel with a datestone of 1620, incorporating 14th and 15th century details. The building is of limestone and ironstone ashlar, with a lead roof. The chapel consists of a nave with north aisle and north chapel.

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Type and Period (3)

Full Description

{2} Excavation to uncover the grave below the monument of Temperance Browne. One corner reinforcement and a single bone were all that was found as a later 18th century family vault had obliterated her grave.

{3} Moreover the chapel, built in 1620, and the C17th stables, much altered, still survive. The chapel is beautifully maintained by Captain Norris, whose family were responsible for much of the rebuilding.

{7} Chapel. Datestone 1620. Incorporating C14 and C15 details. Limestone and ironstone ashlar. Nave with north aisle and north chapel. Symmetrical 3-bay west front. Central doorway has 4-centred arch and spandrels carved with foliage. Inscription on lintel, "Holiness Becometh the Howse O Lord forever". C17 ribbed and studded plank door, 5-light C14 window with reticulated tracery (re-used) above doorway, C17 mullioned windows of 4 arched lights and square hood on each side. Moulded parapet ornamented with obelisks. Plaque with "Built by T.C.1620" in centre. Sundial above south west buttress, framed by swags and cornucopiae. Beneath it a cherub's head and garlands of fruit. Doorway in left bay, south side with engaged Ionic columns, bolection moulded entablature, and open segmental pediment. Arms of Crewe and Bray families in spandrels. 8-panelled, studded door. Re-used C15 window to right, 3 lights with panel tracery and square hood. Similar window centre. East wall, flanked by C17 3-light windows with square hoods. North wall is blank. Offset corner buttresses are re-used C14-C15 work. Interior: Central arcade, 2 bays with quatrefoil pier and moulded arches. Flat arched roof, beam dated 1665 at east end nave. Fittings: Font, bowl with lugs on, fragment of C14- C15 moulded column. Stained glass coat of arms, east window north chapel. Early C18 box pews, rectangular panelled pulpit, and altar rails with twisted balusters. Marble altar table inscribed as gift of Nathanial, Lord Crewe, Bishop of Durham, 1720. North chapel contains Crewe family monuments. Sir Thomas Crewe died 1634 and wife attributed to Gerard Christmas. Reclining alabaster effigies under marble canopy with shields and obelisks. Temperance Brown died 1634. Signed by John and Mathias Christmas and dated 1635. Wall monument with effigy in shroud rising from coffin, angel with trumpet and allegorical figures. John Crewe died 1609 oval wall tablet framed by laurel wreaths with armorial shield at top and base. John Crewe, First Baron of Steane died 1679. Plain wall tablet with coat of arms Lord Thomas Crewe, died 1697. Monument in 4 parts: At top, coat of arms flanked by urns swags of flowers. Central oval inscription tablet, framed by niches containing cherubs, beneath it cherubs heads with palms and acanthus scrolls. Panelled base enclosed by iron railings with urn finials. Nathanial, Lord Crewe, Bishop of Durham died 1721. Wall tablet surmounted by two coronets and a mitre. Built as a private chapel and burial place for himself and his wife Temperance, by Thomas Crewe, Speaker of the House of Commons. There was a chapel here in C13.

{12} To the north-east is the church, rebuilt in a Gothic style in 1620 by Thomas Crewe. By this date the parish church had become the private chapel to the house as the population of the parish declined. The north aisle was designed as a mortuary chapel for the Crewe family.

{14} Undated photo;

{15} Sir Thomas Crewe also rebuilt the chapel in 1620, perhaps on the site of the original medieval church.

{17} [Former list description] A square stone building with lead roof. The plan consists of a central nave and flanking aisles. The nave and south aisle, divided by an arcade of three bays, form the present church. The north aisle entered by a large central arched opening is a burial chapel.
The west window of the nave, of 5 lights, and the arcade are Decorated. The chapel was virtually rebuilt and re-roofed late Perpendicular, again altered C.17. The large rectangular late Perpendicular windows on three sides have cusped heads to lights and are of fine proportion.
Externally, the east and west walls are buttressed. Parapets with obelisk pinnacles, probably of the date 1620 inscribed over the chapel window, are carried round above the walls of the nave and aisles. In C.17 a new doorway was formed on south side at west corner. This has a large 8-panel arched door in stone surround of architrave,
key block, flanking Ionic engaged columns with pulvinated frieze broken forward over columns cornice and broken segmental pediment with central pedestal. On the south-west corner the angle buttress has a double sundial on parapet, facing west and south, supported by carved cherubs.
The interior contains a bowl font possibly Saxon, recovered locally, C.18 panelled box pews, a panelled pulpit and reading desk from the Chapel Royal, St. James's, and a small altar table of green and white marble with baluster shaped dedestal in four parts dated 1720, the gift of Lord Crewe, Bishop of Durham who died 1721. The
altar rails are C.18. The principal monuments in the burial aisle:
(a.) 1633 Sir Thomas Crewe, Speaker of the House of Commons and his wife, d.1619, two effigies on an altar tomb with elaborate architectural background.
(b.) 1635 A daughter of Thomas Crewe by John and Matthew Christmas.
(c.) 1679 John, Lord Crewe.
(d.) 1697 Thomas 2nd Lord Crewe, attributed to Joseph Catterns, perhaps designed by Grinling Gibbons.

The chapel and monuments are full described and illustrated in Country Life, vol. 84. P.12. (July 2, 1936)


<1> Feudal Aids, 51 (unchecked) (Document). SNN46144.

<2> IVOR NOEL HUME, 1995, Martin's Hundred, p.349-351 (checked) (Extract). SNN57796.

<3> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.189-201 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<4> Baker G., 1830, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.189-201 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77327.

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

<6> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, Parish Files (checked) (Archive). SNN115.

<7> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 6/97 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<8> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F01 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<9> Oswald A.; Esdaile K., 1938, The Chapel at Steane Park, p.12-17 (unchecked) (Article). SNN54946.

<10> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.413 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<11> GIBSON J.S.W., 1976, Three Lost Northamptonshire Houses and Their Owners, p.311-18 (unchecked) (Article). SNN41445.

<12> Heward J.; Taylor R., 1996, The Country Houses of Northamptonshire, p.309-11 (checked) (Book). SNN41757.

<13> Tillemans P., 1719, In Steane Chapel the Monument of Sir Thomas Crewe… and of Temperance his Wife, (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN109157.

<14> Photographs of buildings in Farthinghoe (Photographs). SNN111720.

<15> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.56 Site 19 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<16> Bloxham M.H., 1878, On The Medieval Sepulchral Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.246+249 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN107097.

<17> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, DOE(HHR)District of Brackley Rural District, September 1960, p. 46 (Report). SNN112993.

<18> Historic England, Undated, St Peter's Chapel at Steane Park, Farthinghoe, BF107312 (Archive). SNN114224.

<19> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, District of South Northamptonshire, 18/03/1985 (Report). SNN112993.

<20> Historic England, Undated, STEANE PARK, FARTHINGHOE, BF061893 (Archive). SNN115528.

Sources/Archives (20)

  • <1> Document: Feudal Aids. 4. 51 (unchecked).
  • <2> Extract: IVOR NOEL HUME. 1995. Martin's Hundred. p.349-351 (checked).
  • <3> Book: Bridges J.. 1791. The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire. 1. p.189-201 (unchecked).
  • <4> Book: Baker G.. 1830. The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire. 1. p.189-201 (unchecked).
  • <5> Manuscript: Glynne S.. 1859. Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne. (unchecked).
  • <6> Archive: Dryden H.E.L.. 1842-1895. Dryden Collection. Parish Files (checked).
  • <7> Digital archive: Clews Architects. 1980s. Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire. h:heritage\smr\historic buildings database. historic.mdb. Clews Architects. 6/97 (checked).
  • <8> Catalogue: List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"). South Northants.District. Dept. of Environment. F01 (unchecked).
  • <9> Article: Oswald A.; Esdaile K.. 1938. The Chapel at Steane Park. Country Life. 84 (July 2nd). Country Life. p.12-17 (unchecked).
  • <10> Series: Pevsner N.; Cherry B.. 1973. The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire. The Buildings of England. Northamptonshire. Penguin Books. p.413 (unchecked).
  • <11> Article: GIBSON J.S.W.. 1976. Three Lost Northamptonshire Houses and Their Owners. Northamptonshire Past and Present. 5 No.4. N.R.S.. p.311-18 (unchecked).
  • <12> Book: Heward J.; Taylor R.. 1996. The Country Houses of Northamptonshire. R.C.H.M.E.. p.309-11 (checked).
  • <13> Drawing: Tillemans P.. 1719. In Steane Chapel the Monument of Sir Thomas Crewe… and of Temperance his Wife. 11/07/1719. BL.No.236. (unchecked).
  • <14> Photographs: Photographs of buildings in Farthinghoe.
  • <15> Series: Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England. 1982. An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton. 4. HMSO. p.56 Site 19 (checked).
  • <16> Journal: Bloxham M.H.. 1878. On The Medieval Sepulchral Antiquities of Northamptonshire. The Archaeological Journal. 35. p.246+249 (unchecked).
  • <17> Report: List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. DOE(HHR)District of Brackley Rural District, September 1960, p. 46.
  • <18> Archive: Historic England. Undated. St Peter's Chapel at Steane Park, Farthinghoe. Historic England Archive. BF107312.
  • <19> Report: List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. District of South Northamptonshire, 18/03/1985.
  • <20> Archive: Historic England. Undated. STEANE PARK, FARTHINGHOE. BF061893.

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Location

Grid reference Centred SP 4555e 239e+ (11m by 17m) Central
Civil Parish FARTHINGHOE, West Northamptonshire (formerly South Northants District)

Protected Status/Designation

Other Statuses/References

  • NRHE HOB UID: 339107
  • NRHE HOB UID: 536638

Record last edited

Oct 16 2023 3:18PM

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