Building record 1160/15/1 - Church of St Giles, Northampton

12th century crossing tower, upper stages rebuilt 1616, top renewed 1914. Reset and restored 12th century west doorway. Chancel probably 12th century, later widened, with remains of 13th century lancet windows. 14th century south chapel; north chapel 14th century with windows of 1512. 14th century north and south aisles, 15th century nave with 17th century clerestory. Extra north aisle and west end rebuilding with porches, by E F Law 1853-5. Chancel restored 1876.

{1} C12 crossing tower, upper stages rebuilt 1616, top renewed 1914. Reset and restored C12 west doorway. Chancel probably C12, later widened, with remains of C13 lancet windows. C14 south chapel; north chapel C14 with windows of 1512. C14 north and south aisles, C15 nave with C17 clerestory. Extra north aisle and west end rebuilding with porches, by E F Law, 1853-5. Chancel restored 1876. C15 Paynell-Gobion alabaster table tomb; good C17 and C18 wall monuments. Early C17 pulpit. Stained glass to east window by Clayton and Bell. Nos 1 to 8 (consec.) form a group with St Giles' Church and St Giles' Church School.

{2} C12th crossing tower of which upper stages rebuilt 1616; top renewed 1914; C12th west doorway; chancel probably C12th; remains of C13th lancet windows in chancel; C14th north & south chapels with windows of 1512 in the north one; C14th north & south aisles; C15th nave with C17th clerestory; extra north aisle & west end rebuilding with porches by E.F.Law 1853-5; chancel restored 1876; C15th Paynell-Gobion alabaster table tomb; good C17/18th wall monuments; early C17th pulpit; stained glass to east window by Clayton & Bell 1878;

{3} Architectural description of the church refers to E.F.Law's & G.G. Scott's work in the C19th; stained glass of the west window by Powell's c.1858; east window Clayton & Bell 1876; north aisle by Hardman 1869 & 1884; north aisle west window by Heaton, Butler & Bayne c.1883; monuments including alabaster tomb of C15th; several tablets by Hunt & the Coxes;

{4} Standing building; medieval church of St Giles; phase plans showing development of church building; earliest fabric of C12th; Norman church consisted of at least chancel & central tower & north & south transepts & nave; nave was extended in 1853; chapel added to north of chancel in C14th; south chapel built in C15th; much of upper part of tower fell in 1613; reconstructed 1616; detailed description of each of parts of church building & listing of internal fittings & monuments; Perhaps founded as consequence of expansion of town to east of Burgh post-Conquest

{5} Mentions survey by Scott in 1844; original structure cruciform in plan; built C12th; Norman tower rebuilt; discussion of development of church building; illustration included;

{6} Summary of architectural history; phase plan; external & internal photographs; mention of single surviving C15th table tomb of one of Gobion family; also says that St Giles served as the meeting place of the town assembly until the Act of 1489;

{7} List of burials within church building;

{9} Architectural detail of church & fittings & monuments & church's development including copies of plans & illustrations; text taken straight from earlier RCHME inventory publication (1984);

{11} No more alterations between 1616 & C19th; restored & extended by E.F. Law in 1853; in 1876 further work carried out under supervision of Law;

{13} ?C13th footings discovered beneath north-east buttress of C14th chancel; traces of offset footing were uncovered beneath south wall of C15th south chapel;

{14} Single course of ironstone blocks discovered beneath north-east buttress of chancel; further traces of footings possibly extended beyond the southern edge of buttress; east wall of chancel known to have been rebuilt in C14th & is possible that footings may represent preceding C13th construction; single line of ironstone blocks beneath south wall of south chapel may be all that remains of original offset foundation dating to C15th; no associated dating evidence however;

{15} Nave doorway shown before restoration;

{16} Archaeological investigation below existing floor of nave and aisles of St Giles Church. Medieval and earlier floor levels were destroyed by extensive structural modifications in the nineteenth century. Fragments of the medieval church fabric surive only as isolated piers beneath the pillars of the nave arcades, and now merely provide indirect information on the height to former floors.Truncated graves of possible medieval date, together with two disconnected islands of buried soil between them were found at a depth of 620mm below the solid floor of the nave.

{17} Extensive alterations were made to the church during the nineteenth century, under the architect Edmund Frances Law. Between 1853 and 1855 the west end of the church was extended by two bays and the northern aisle was rebuilt and enlarged by an outer aisle. A porch was constructed at each side of the church. Internal work included the opening of the tower arches in the nave and chancel, the remodelling of the arches between the aisles and transepts and the replacement of all roofs to the west of the tower. Further work in 1876 led to the reordering of the chancel, including the repair of the roof and those of the neighbouring chapels.Six test areas were opened in the nave, aisles and north transept in order to assess the survival of the buried medieval church fabric in the western part of the church.Victorian restorations have swept away former floors and ground levels within the western part of the church, leaving only truncated remains of earlier walls and foundations. The height of the 14th century floor can be gauged from the plinth of the arcade pillars. An earlier ground level (perhaps outside 12th century church) was suggested by wall-face below 14th century pillar plinth. Victorian modifications mean little potential for former ground levels surviving elsewhere in nave and aisles.Finds recovered during excavations include pottery (medieval and post-medieval), structural remains (worked limestone, plaster, mortar, tile and glass), coffin fittings, two clay pipes and a Victorian penny.

{18} Observation and archaeological recording during re-ordering of St Giles church nave.Pier foundations of 13th century church revealed - of various dates from 13th century onwards. Piers of 3 bays were founded on remains of 12th century nave walls which survived to a height of 1-2 courses of ashlar. On one pier one buttress complete with chamfer revealed. North wall of early nave found below present line of north arcade.13th century aisles which flanked origional nave also revealed - trnucated foundation across north aisle revealed that it had been divided into two perhaps for chantry purposes.Evidence provides plan of orgional 12th century church as an aisleless cruciform church laid out on an exact ration of 2:1.25 graves revealed excavations - 14 post-medival brick lined shafts, 8 earth-cut graves, a post medieval family brick vault and 2 stone-lined tombs (of possible medieval date).

{20} In 1538 John Rote has vicarage of St Giles assigned to him; yearly value of L7

{21} First mention of St Giles Church in 1122; formed part of royal grant to St Andrew's Priory from ancient demesne

{23} Surveyed in 1844 prior to restoration work by Law in 1850s.

{28} (SP 75896056) Church (NAT).

{31} Photo dated 1990.

{32} Ground plan by EF Law, 1856.

{33} Drawings, coats of arms, plans, measurements, drawing and details of font;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 2/2 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), H14 p.119 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN1000.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.319-20 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.361-71 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<5> Wetton, 1849, Guidebook to Northampton and its Vicinity, p.51-53+pl.opp.p.50 (checked) (Book). SNN1032.

<6> Page W. (ed), 1930, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.51-55+57 (checked) (Series). SNN100370.

<7> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.441-45 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<8> CLARKE N.C.L., DRAWINGS, (checked) (Illustration). SNN56894.

<9> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches, (checked) (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<10> FLESHER J., DRAWINGS, (checked) (Illustration). SNN56895.

<11> LAW E.F., 1853, St Giles' Survey, ST GILES 233P/150+152 (unchecked) (Map). SNN1319.

<12> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, 41 ff.5-7 (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<13> STEADMAN S., 1992, SMR REPORT FORM, (checked) (Note). SNN49412.

<14> STEADMAN S., 1992, ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORDING AT ST GILES CHURCH, NORTHAMPTON, (checked) (Full Report). SNN618.

<15> BUCKLER, 1824, St Giles' Church, (unchecked) (Illustration). SNN3225.

<16> WEBSTER M., 1996, SMR REPORT FORM, (checked) (Notes). SNN49263.

<17> Webster, W. And Parry, S, 1995, Archaeological evaluation at St Giles Church, Northampton, February 1996, (checked) (Report). SNN4161.

<18> SODEN I, 1997, AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF AND RECORDING ACTION AT ST GILES CHURCH, NORTHAMPTON, (checked) (Report). SNN48154.

<19> Chapman A., 1996-97, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1996-7, p217 Northampton (checked) (Notes). SNN104580.

<20> 1538, Letters & Papers of Henry VIII (LPFD 1-30, Vol.13), (unchecked) (Document). SNN1090.

<21> 1122, CHARTER, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN3224.

<22> FRANKLIN M.J., 1982, MINSTERS AND PARISHES: NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STUDIES, 95 (unchecked) (Thesis). SNN56828.

<23> SCOTT G.G., 1844, SURVEY, NRO ST GILES 233P/215 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN3226.

<24> Baker G., 1822-36, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN10400.

<25> SERJEANTSON R.M., 1911, HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF ST GILES, NORTHAMPTON, 115-6 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN3227.

<26> Serjeantson R.M.; Longden Isham H., 1913, The Parish Churches & Religious Houses of Northamptonshire: Their Dedications, Altars etc., p.161-62 (checked); Copy in NDC SMR File M191; (Extract). SNN1080.

<26> ISHAM LONGDEN H., 1942, Northamptonshire Archaeology, 103 (unchecked) (Series). SNN3473.

<27> King's College, London, 2017, A corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain and Ireland, Site 1022 (Website). SNN110894.

<28> Ordnance Survey Map (Scale/date), OS 1:10000 1976 (Map). SNN112944.

<29> Undated, St Giles Church, Northampton, BF111672 (Archive). SNN113666.

<30> Undated, The arched west doorway of St Giles' Church, showing the decorative carving, OP11320 (Archive). SNN113667.

<31> Photographs of buildings in Northampton (Photographs). SNN114989.

<32> Lambeth Palace Library, Incorporated Church Building Society Archive, ICBS04736 (Digital archive). SNN115761.

<33> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/198/194-203 (Archive). SNN115.

<34> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 435-6 (Book). SNN111989.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 9:56AM