Building record 1160/16/2 - Church of St Peter, Mare Fair

Mainly Norman, circa 1160, but of Saxon origin. Stone, with chancel, North and South chapels, nave, North and South aisles, with continuous arcade of 8 bays. Typical elaborate ornamentation, carved caps and banded columns, moulded bases, decorated arches, external blind arcading. Early 17th century western Tower.

{1} Mainly Norman, circa 1160, but of Saxon origin. Stone, with chancel, north and south chapels, nave north and south aisles, with continuous arcade of 8 bays. Typical elaborate ornamentation, carved caps and banded columns, moulded bases, decorated arches, external blind arcading. Early C17 western tower. C15 font. C15 crypt. Restored east end by George Gilbert Scott 1850. Finely carved C18 wall tablets and monuments include 1742 to John Smith, mezzotint engraver, by John Hunt; monument with bust by M Noble, 1839, to William Smith, founder of stratigraphical geology. Nos 33 to 43 (odd) and 37a form a group with St Peter's Church and Nos 1 to 3 Black Lion Hill.

{2} St Peter's Church;mainly Norman;c.1160;Chancel,North and South chapels,nave,N and S aisles with continuous arcade of 8 bays;elaborate ornamentation;rebuilt C17th W tower;C15th font and crypt;restored east end G. Scott in 1850;finely carved wall tablets and monuments include 1742 John Smith,mezzotint engraver;church built of ironstone and limestone;

{3} Present church built in mid C12th; built of roughly coursed sandstone blicks & oolitic limestone; comprises undivided nave & chancel with continuous north & south aisles & west tower & north porch; lavishly decorated with high quality carving; tower arch & former west doorway & arcade arches carry rich architectural ornament; arcade capitals have carvings of animals & foliage & interlace showing native & Lombardic influences; may be compared with Reading Abbey; originally a long & undivided rectangle under single roof; probably arranged in 3 distinct areas; north & south aisles conform to same pattern; arcaded clerestorey runs whole length of church; west tower rebuilt in C17th one bay east of its original site; appears to follow form of C12th tower with re-use of C12th decoration in conjunction with C17th features; building unlike any parish church of period but not dissimilar to conventual church; suggests survival of something of organisation of Saxon minster; church reduced in size during C17th when east end demolished & new east wall built across chancel & aisles; eastern part rebuilt by G.G.Scott in 1850 following original foundations; also reconstructed much of clerestorey & replaced roof over nave & chancel; fuller architectural description given; also details of fittings including monuments;

{4} Drawing of font.

{5} Difficult to read but appears to detail architectural features of church building.

{6}Late C12th church with wealth of intricate carving; monuments to William Smith dubbed "father of English Geology" & John Smith C17th mezzotint artist;

{7} Norman church; west tower rebuilt in early C17th but incorporates much of Norman work; no structural division between nave & chancel; emphasised by uninterrupted row of blank arcading all along clerestorey; simple Norman north & south doorways; east end rebuilt by Scott in 1850; interior of church outstandingly ornate; details given along with furnishings & monuments;

{8} St Peter's Church;late C12th;continuous clerestoreyed chancel and nave under one roof c.93ft;continuous N and S aisles; N porch and W tower;tower rebuilt in C17th;aisle walls rebuilt in C14th;Square-headed windows inserted in aisles in C17th;building restored in 1850-1 by Sir Gilbert Scott;further restoration later in the C19th;modern east end of the chancel in style of C12th with roun-headed windows;clerestorey consists of externally of shallow arcading of semicircular unmoulded arches;

{9} Appears to repeat text from RCHME volume 5 1984; contains photocopy of Glynne's notes & illustrations by Baxter & Buckler;

{10} Indications erected by one of first Norman earls of Northampton; rectory of St Peter given to St Andrew's Priory by Simon de St Liz & confirmed to it by Hugh Wells of Lincoln; right of patronage recovered by crown by Henry III; invested with privilege of sanctuary; Consists of nave & 2 aisles of equal length; 7 columns on each side; capitals with sculpture of scrollwork & heads & animals; on each side of nave are 8 semicircular arches; clerestorey; arch dividing tower from nave; font similar in design to Queen's (?Eleanor) Cross; entrance to vault or crypt extending considerable distance under church & churchyard east wards; may have been sacristy; at south-west & north-west angles of tower buttresses of peculiar form; more details given; reports that church in need of repair; illustration;

{11} C15-17th endowments to church include one in 1606 towards rebuilding of tower; also includes burials within church of Richard Harpole in 1487 & Thomas Spilsbury in 1538;

{12} Water-colour of St Peter's Church;

{15}Late Norman date; originally parish boundary follwed that of Hamtune Saxon town; much larger in medieval period when churches of St John Baptist at Kingsthorpe & St Michael at Upton were built as Chapels of Ease; details some of history of church; apparently appointed place for Anglo-Saxon legal procedure of Compurgation in town; In south aisle close to chancel stands richly carved late Saxon coffin lid; probably lid of St Ragener's reliquary; for short time was built into wall of T.Manning & Co. Brewery but now returned; suggests building of church by Simon de St Liz's son; details of structure include photographs; walls all been rebuilt at different times; near east end of south aisle is early Decorated tomb recess; remains of wooden coffin found in ground beneath in 1924; late C14th octagonal font; small crypt of Perpendicular period under sanctuary; used for burials & has been sealed; tower in ruins & whole church in disrepair in 1607; rebuilt during reign of Charles I possibly with materials from decaying castle; windows mostly from C17th restoration; lists some of monuments within church; lists bells with inscriptions as all C18th & rehung in 1893;

{17} Repeats information in microfiche copy as digest; also includes plan of & section through church building & plates showing decoration;

{?} Mainly Norman circa 1160; Saxon origins; stone-built with chancel & north & south chapels & nave & north & south aisles; continuous arcade of eight bays; elaborate ornamentation; early C17th western tower; C15th font & crypt; restored east end by George Gilbert Scott in 1850; finely carved C18th wall tablets & monuments including John Smith mezzotint engraver 1742 by John Hunt & William Smith founder of stratigraphical geology 1839 by M.Noble;

{20} Report on method and results of uncovering and conserving the 19th century decorative scheme on the east wall of the chancel.

{21} During restoration works three coffins in a vault under the north aisle were uncovered. These have been photographed using an underground camera but the vault will remain covered.

{22} Description of figures sculpted on the arcades of the nave and chancel, and late Saxon (described as Norman in article) coffin lid.

{23} In the rebuilding of the chancel, under the direction of Sir Gilbert Scott in 1850, the bases of the two west responds of the two arcades were found to have been made out of Saxon sculptered stones. The responds were renewed and the old stones removed to the Northampton Museum.

{28}It has been argued that carved stone of church worked by local group of masons based on St Andrew's Priory;

{29}Report on restoration work carried out by G.G.Scott in 1850 published in Appendix;

{31}Before north aisle extended in 1850 was crypt or vault which ran east from aisle; sketch & written note in collection, drawings, plans, measurements, photos;

{41} Two photos dated 1990.

{42} Ground plan by GG Scott, 1850s.

{43} St Peter may have had an important shrine, probably that of the of the Anglo-Saxon prince St Ragener, nephew of St Edmund and who was killed in battle in 870.

{44} Translation of a 13th century manuscript of the lives of the saints including St Ragener associated with St Peter's Church.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 5/3 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), H14 p.101 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN1000.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.371-78 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<4> BUCKLER, St Peter's Church, (unchecked) (Illustration). SNN2699.

<5> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, 41 ff.1-3 (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<6> Northampton & County Junior Chamber of Commerce, Northampton: A Short Guide, (checked) (Guide). SNN628.

<7> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.321-2 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<8> Page W. (ed), 1930, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire- The Borough of Northampton, p.40-45 (checked) (Series). SNN100370.

<9> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches, St Peter's Church (checked) (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<10> Wetton, 1849, Guidebook to Northampton and its Vicinity, p.32-34+pl.opp.p.32 (checked) (Book). SNN1032.

<11> Serjeantson R.M.; Longden Isham H., 1913, The Parish Churches & Religious Houses of Northamptonshire: Their Dedications, Altars etc., p.165 (checked); Copy in NDC SMR File M193; (Extract). SNN1080.

<12> SCRIVENER H.M., 1897, PAINTINGS, (unchecked) (Painting). SNN3096.

<13> Evans J.; Britton J., 1810, The Beauties of England and Wales (Northamptonshire), (unchecked) (Book). SNN1351.

<14> BRITTON; EVANS; GOUGH, 1807, THE ARCHITECTURAL ANTIQUITIES OF GREAT BRITAIN, (unchecked) (Book). SNN56789.

<14> Hamilton Thompson A., 1911, The Chantry Certificates For Northamptonshire, p.87-178 (checked) (Series). SNN1922.

<15> MARSH B.R. V, 1966, The Parish Church of Saint Peter, Northampton, (checked) (Guide). SNN2704.

<16> SERJEANTSON R.M., 1904, THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF SAINT PETER,NORTHAMPTON, (unchecked) (Book). SNN56792.

<17> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.57-59+Plates 12-15 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<18> Welsh, T., 2010, The "Saxon Palaces" in Northampton and Their Post-Medieval Context, (unchecked) (Document). SNN107120.

<19> Bennie Historic Conservation, 2006, Bennie Historic Conservation News, (unchecked) (Newsletter). SNN106356.

<20> 2006, St. Peter's Church, Marefair: Chancel East Wall Applied Decorative Detail Analysis, (checked) (Report). SNN107398.

<21> Bowater, D., 2006, Ancient Church Restored, (checked) (Newspaper cuttings). SNN107637.

<22> Romilley Allen J., 1889, Sculpture of the Norman and Transitional Periods in Northamptonshire, (checked) (Article). SNN108376.

<23> Romilly Allen, 1888, Early Christian Sculpture in Northamptonshire, p. 415 (Series). SNN6339.

<24> Shaw M.; Williams J., 1971-1981, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Record Cards, M193 (checked) (Index). SNN133.

<25> ATKINS R., 1999, ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF AT ST PETER'S CHURCH, NORTHAMPTON, (unchecked) (Report). SNN63211.

<26> Chapman A.; Chapman P., 2000-01, Northampton, St Peter's Church, (unchecked) (Note). SNN104003.

<27> Welsh T., 2009, Document Search: St. Peter's Parish, Northampton, (unchecked) (Document). SNN106536.

<28> Maguire, H P, 1970, A twelfth century workshop in Northampton, (unchecked) (Article). SNN110895.

<29> SERJEANTSON R.M., 1904, History of the Church of St. Peter, Northampton together with the Chapels of Kingsthorpe and Upton, 259-64 (Book). SNN2678.

<30> FRANKLIN M.J., 1982, MINSTERS AND PARISHES: NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STUDIES, (unchecked) (Thesis). SNN56828.

<31> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/198/206-216,216A,219-221,223-233,235-246,705 (Archive). SNN115.

<32> THE ARCHITECTURAL ANTIQUITIES OF GREAT BRITAIN, (unchecked) (Illustration). SNN56746.

<33> Evans J.; Britton J., 1810, The Beauties of England and Wales (Northamptonshire), (unchecked) (Book). SNN1351.

<34> PAINTINGS, (unchecked) (Illustration). SNN56703.

<35> PRETTY E, DRAWINGS, (unchecked) (Illustration). SNN4271.

<36> Leigh, D., 2004, Archaeological watching brief on land at St Peter's Church, Marefair, Northampton, April-May 2004 (Report). SNN111817.

<37> Historic England, Undated, St Peters Church, Northampton, BF111669 (Archive). SNN113956.

<38> Historic England, Undated, Exterior view of the tower of St Peter's Church, OP11344 (Archive). SNN113959.

<39> Historic England, Undated, A decorative Norman arch, formerly over a doorway, now over a window in the exterior west wall of the tower of St Peter's Church, OP11319 (Archive). SNN113957.

<40> Historic England, Undated, A view from the north-west of St Peter's Church, OP11343 (Archive). SNN113958.

<41> Photographs of buildings in Northampton (Photographs). SNN114989.

<42> Lambeth Palace Library, Incorporated Church Building Society Archive, ICBS04362 & ICBS04362a (Digital archive). SNN115761.

<43> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 436-439 (Book). SNN111989.

<44> SERJEANTSON R.M., 1907, A Medieval Legend of St Peter's, Northampton, p. 113-120 (Article). SNN72011.

Record last edited

Mar 31 2025 10:51AM