Building record 2102/3/1 - All Saints Church, Little Billing

14th century church, perhaps incorporating an 11th century structure. Extensively restored in 1854 by EF Law, when the tower was built. Plan of chancel. nave with North aisle, South porch and tower. The North chapel was rebuilt in 1849.

{1} C14, perhaps incorporating C11 structure, extensively restored 1854 by E F Law. North Longueville chapel rebuilt 1849 by Lewis Loyd of Overstone, tower added by Law. Chancel has C15 arch, north wall monument 1760. Windows C19 except early C14 south west chancel window. Ogee arched aumbry. C11 font with inscription naming sculptor Wigberthus. All Saints Church and The Old Rectory form a group.

{3} The church had a north aisle but the arcade has been removed. According to Wetton's Guide it consisted of wooden posts on stone bases. The north chapel and the chancel now both open into the nave. Font: plain, Norman, of tub shape, but of great interest.

{4} The early history of Little Billing church is confused due to the multiplicity of entries in the Domesday Book. Between 1107 and 1123 the church was obtained by St. Andrew's Priory, Northampton. A watching brief during the groundworks for an extension adjacent to the north wall towards the west end of the church observed and recorded an elevation of the north face of the nave and part of the foundations. The door is a Victorian addition.
The recovery of worked stone, stone roof tile and medieval window glass may be evidence of building debris relating to the remodelling of the church in 1849.

{6} Parish Church of All Saints (SP 804617). There is no surviving evidence of an early church except for the font. The chancel and N. chapel appear to date from the 14th century as the arch in the W. wall of the N. chapel and the similar W. arch between the chancel and the N. chapel are of that date. The single light window in the S. wall of the chancel is also 14th-century. The whole of the W. part of the church was rebuilt c. 1500 as a wide hall under a single roof with a bell turret on the W. gable. The W. window is central under a symmetrical gable and the windows and doorways in the side walls match each other. The arrangement of the arches in the E. wall suggests that before 1500 the W. part of the church consisted of a nave and N. aisle. The arcade probably ran just S. of the thick E. wall of the aisle, which survives around the arch into the N. chapel. In the post-medieval period a timber arcade was inserted, possibly because the roof span proved to wide. In 1849 the N. chapel was heavily restored and in 1852-4 the rest of the building was much rebuilt by E.F. Law. The timber arcade and bell turret were removed and a N. tower added. The nave gables were heightened and a steep-pitched roof framed.

Owing to the multiplicity of land units in the Billings recorded in Domesday Book the early history of the church at Little Billing is confused. The existence of the font at Little Billing makes plain why Bridges placed the holding of Gunfrid de Choques, which includes a reference to a priest as being at Little Billing.

The church had certainly been granted to St Andrew's Priory, Northampton, by the time of Bishop Bloet's actum but since it is not listed in Henry I's confirmatory charter of 1107 St Andrew's must have obtained the church between 1107 and 1123, probably by grant Walter fitz Winemar. Since Winemar was a Domesday land owner in the area, a grant by Walter fitz Simon is almost certainly a later confirmation.

{11} An Anglo-Saxon or early Norman font with the inscription: 'WIGBERHTUS ARTIFEX ATQ. CEMENTARIUS HUNC FABRICAVIT/ QVISQVIS SVVM VENIT MERGERE CORPUS PROCUL DUBIO CAPIT'; which transcribed reads: 'WIGBERHTUS CRAFTSMAN AND MASON MADE THIS. WHOEVER COMES TO IMMERSE HIS BODY WILL DOUBTLESS GAIN'

{12} The only inscription of the Anglo Saxon period now existing in Northamptonshire is upon the font in Little Billing. The font which is of local sandstone stained brown with iron, has a round bowl and a round stem with a triple bead moulding between the bowl and the stem, the whole resembling one of the turned baluster shafts of the Saxon period. "The inscription includes angular letters indicating pre Norman date and reads WIGBERTUS ARTIFEX ATQ CEMENTARIUS HUNC FABRICAVIT QUISQUIS SUUM VENIT MERGERE CORPUS PROCUL DUBIO CAPIT". "Wigberht the artificer and mason made this (font) whoever comes hither to dip his body let him take it (the rite of Baptism) without doubt".

{13} Two photos, one dated 1990, the other undated, probably 1990s;

{14} Various drawings of the font and its inscription, some dated 1888, also written explanations of the meaning of the inscriptions;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 28/397 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

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

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.351 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Chinnock, C., 2017, Late Saxon burials at All Saints Church, Little Billing, Northampton (Article). SNN111039.

<5> Chinnock, C., 2014, Archaeological Observation, Investigation, Recording and Analysis at All Saints Church, Little Billing, Northampton July - September 2013, p.6 (checked) (Report). SNN109323.

<6> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.67+ microfiche p. 227-30(unchecked) (Series). SNN77383.

<7> Baker G., 1830, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.30 & 112 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77327.

<8> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.409-10 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<9> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, 42 p.20-21 (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<9> Salzman L.F.(ed), 1937, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.75-76 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100371.

<10> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<11> King's College, London, 2017, A corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain and Ireland, Site 791 (Website). SNN110894.

<12> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p. 187 (Series). SNN100369.

<13> Photographs of buildings in Northampton (Photographs). SNN114989.

<14> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/27/1-10 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Dec 13 2024 2:53PM