Building record 4072/1/1 - Church of St George, Church Hill

Parish church. Limestone with some ironstone dressings, ironstone 14th century west tower, 13th century nave and aisles, 15th century clerestory. 13th century chancel altered in the 15th century. North and south porches. Restored 1865 by Butterfield.

{1} Limestone with some ironstone dressings, ironstone C14 west tower. C13 nave and aisles, C15 clerestory. C13 chancel altered C15. North and south porches. Restored 1865 by Butterfield. Chancel wall tablet, 1686. Nos. 7 to 11 (odd) form a group with No. 18 Green Lane.

{2} 5327 CHURCH HILL (South East Side) Wootton

Church of St George
SP 7657 29/472 3.5.68.

2. Limestone with some ironstone dressings, ironstone C14 west
tower. C13 nave and aisles, C15 clerestory. C13 chancel altered C15.
North and south porches. Restored 1865 by Butterfield. Chancel wall
tablet, 1686.

{3} Parish Church of St George (SP 761 566)

Development - There is no visible part of the present fabric earlier than the 13th century but the irregular plan in which the tower and W. walls are now on a markedly different axis from the anve, suggest that they survive from an earlier structure. The chancel and nave belong to the 13th century, the aisle being added c.1275. The roof line of the nave of this stage is preserved on the E. face of the tower. The aisles were refenestrated and extended to the E. as chapels in the late 14th century. In the 15th century the clearstorey was formed, the belfry stage of the tower added or rebuilt and the S.E. window in the chancel inserted, with the sedilia below. The church was repaired in 1844 and extensively restored in 1865 by William Butterfield. The chancel arch and the arches between the chancel and flanking chapels were rebuilt, the N. porch removed and a new S. porch built (Faculty NRO 374P/60/1). (VCH Northamptonshire IV, 294-5).

History - Since Wootton Church was claimed as part of the foundation endowment of Lavendon Abbey (Bucks) in a royal confirmation of 1227 (Mon Angl 6, 888) it appears that the building existed by 1155-8 (Knowles and Hadcock 1971, 190). However, since the abbey was not able to prove posession at law in 1231, doubt must be cast on the authenticity of the original grant. The heirs of the founder of Lavendon claimed that their father had held the advowson of the church subsequent to the date of the foundation charter and that the abbey's claim to possession was invalid (Maitland 1887, no. 648). They won their case and subsequently presented Walter de Horton to the rectory in 1232 (Rot Welles ii, 168). The advowson remained in lay hands throughout the medieval period. The heirs also siad in 1231 that the last two incumbents of Wootton had both been named Walter de Bidun. The first Walter de Bidun, also Chancellor of Scotland, died in 1178 (Powicke and Fryde 1961, 173). This indicates that was certainly a church at Wootton by 1178. [Detailed description and plan].

{4} Archaeological observation during installation of new services found 19th-century heating ducts and a few redeposited fragments of human bone.

{5} Three photos dated 1990;

{6} (SP 7624 5652) Ch.

{7} The church of St. George at Wootton is in the main of 13th c. date with additions in the 14th and 15th c's. The building was repaired in 1844, and in 1865 it was extensively restored.

{8}

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 29/472 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), H14 (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.427-431/Site 10 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<4> Sharman T., 2017, Archaeological observation, investigation and recording at the church of St George the Martyr, Wootton, 2017 (Report). SNN111100.

<5> Photographs of buildings in Wootton (Photographs). SNN114338.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1955, 1950s/60s Ordnance Survey 6 Inch Mapping Series (SP44NE), 1958 (Map). SNN61128.

<7> Salzman L.F.(ed), 1937, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, Page 294-5 (Series). SNN100371.

<8> Dugdale, 1846, Monasticon Anglicanum (Book). SNN2724.

<9> Knowles; Hadcock, 1971, Medieval Religious Houses England and Wales, P. 190 (Book). SNN10192.

<10> Philimore W, Davis F (ed), 1907-9, Rotuli Hugonis de Welles Episcupi Lincolniensis AD 1209-35 (Book). SNN2625.

<11> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, DOE(HHR) Dist. of Northants. Northants. Jan. 1976 42 (Report). SNN112993.

<11> St Georges Church, Wootton, BF107450 (Archive). SNN116347.

<12> Powicke, F, & Fryde, E des, 1961, Handbook of British Chronology, p. 173 (Book). SNN116436.

Record last edited

Jun 27 2024 12:54PM