Building record 3695/2/1 - Church of St Leonard

St Leonards Church was built in the 13th century, with 14th century additions. The building was altered in 1578 and restored by Ewan Christian in 1859. Built of coursed and squared ironstone with limestone dressings and stone slate and lead roofs. The church consists of a west tower with spire, nave with clerestory, south aisle and contiguous chapel, chancel and north porch.

{1} Parish church. C13, C14, altered 1578, restored by Ewan Christian, 1859. Coursed and squared ironstone with limestone dressings, stone slate and lead roofs. West tower with spire, nave with clerestory, south aisle and contiguous chapel, chancel, north porch. 3-stage west tower, C13 and C14, has chamfered plinth, 3 string courses, plain buttresses to east, angle buttresses to west, and lozenge frieze with gargoyles. West side has a moulded doorway with double ringed shafts and an unusual stepped gable. North and south sides have single lancets. Above the door, a single lancet. Above again, on each side, a roll moulded double lancet bell chamber opening with double shafts. All the lancets have hood moulds. Octagonal broach spire has 2 tiers of crocketed gabled lucarnes with double lancets. 4-bay nave has chamfered plinth, buttress to north east, eaves band, coped parapet and gable with cross. North side has to east a flat headed Perpendicular triple lancet and to west, a C14 single lancet. Clerestorey has on each side 4 plain double lancets. All the windows have hood moulds. South aisle and chapel has south west angle buttress, moulded sill and eaves bands, coped parapet and datestone over west door, 1578, with a shield. Aisle has to left a double hollow chamfered doorway, flanked to left by a single plain C13 lancet and to right by 2 untraceried mid C14 double lancets with flat heads. Chapel has, to left, a C13 roll moulded doorway with ringed shafts, and to its right a triple and double late C14 lancet with flat heads. The east end has a late C14 double lancet with 4-centred arched head. All the openings have hood moulds, 3 to the south with mask stops. At the east end, a C19 octagonal stone chimney. 3-bay chancel has plinth and coped east gable with cross. North side has to east a C15 transomed double lancet and to west a larger C14 triple lancet, both with flat heads. East end has a restored early C14 triple lancet with intersecting tracery. South side has to east a C13 double lancet with plate tracery. All the windows have hood moulds. North porch, C14, restored C19, has chamfered plinth and eaves, coped gable with kneelers and finial, double chamfered doorway and a C19 quatrefoil in each side. Interior has 2 restored stone benches, C19 roof and C15 roll moulded Tudor arched doorway. Triple chamfered C13 tower arch has round responds and C20 wooden screen. C13 3-bay arcade has round and quatrefoil piers, octagonal imposts and double chamfered arches with hood moulds. Low pitched C19 roof with wall shafts. South aisle east end has a C13 moulded arch with shafts and dogtooth capitals. South side has a central C14 tomb recess with shafts and hood mould. South east window has medieval glass fragments. Restored roof with moulded timbers and wall shafts. South east chapel, now vestry, has to east a window, flanked to left by a blocked lancet and to right by a C15 niche with a mask pendant. South side has to west a C14 and a C15 piscina and to their right, a double chamfered arch with imposts and the lower part of a C15 screen. North side has to east a late C14 tomb recess. East end has moulded sill band and hood mould. South east side has a C19 triple sedilia with shafts, and a late C13 piscina. Above, stained glass window, 1892, signed G F Campfield, also attributed to Morris & Co. 2-bay chapel arcade has a round pier with 4 attached shafts and stiff leaf capital and moulded arches. Resited C15 traceried oak screen. Arch braced C19 roof. Fittings include C12 round font with latticed top band. 3 C16 benches with traciered ends, plus 6 restored ends. C19 octagonal oak pulpit, benches and stalls. C17 chip-carved chest and plain C18 chest. Memorials include slate tablet, with Latin inscription, 1726. Crested marble and slate tablet, 1915. Large Classical marble and slate war memorial tablet, 1918, with brass, 1945. Source: Pevsner

{7} Small fragments of surviving medieval glass include a Shield of Kinnesman. This family acquired the manor of Loddington c1400.

{9} Ground plan of church by Slater and Carpenter, 1868-72.

{10} One of the finest collections of medieval glass in the county. The figural glazing, comprising part of a Tree of Jesse, saints and a donor knight, pre-dates the existing fabric and was reused in the nave north aisle when the church was rebuilt in the 14th century.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 5/48 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), K1/3 p.31-2 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN100754.

<3> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches, (unchecked) (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<4> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.295 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

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

<6> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.43-5 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<7> Marks R., 1998, Stained Glass Of Northamptonshire, p. 125 (Book). SNN101533.

<8> Historic England, St Leonard's Church, Loddington, BF107362 (Archive). SNN114811.

<9> Lambeth Palace Library, Incorporated Church Building Society Archive, ICBS06906 (Digital archive). SNN115761.

<10> Marks R., 1998, Stained Glass Of Northamptonshire, p. 126-141 (Book). SNN101533.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 11:19AM