Building record 2878/1/1 - Anglican & Methodist Church of St Giles

Parish Church built in the 13th century, with 14th, 15th and 16th century additions, restored in the mid 19th century. Built of squared ironstone and limestone ashlar, with limestone dressings and lead and slate roofs. The church consists of a west tower with spire, nave with clerestory, aisles, transepts, vestry, chancel, and north and south porches. Three fragments of 9th century Anglo-Saxon crosses are included in the church monumenrts.

{1} Parish Church. C13, C14, C15, C16, restored mid C19. Squared ironstone and limestone ashlar with limestone dressings and lead and slate roofs. West tower with spire, nave with clerestory, aisles, transepts, vestry, chancel, north and south porches. 4-stage west tower, early C16, has clasping buttresses, moulded string courses, quatrefoil frieze with gargoyles. First stage has to west a roll moulded doorway with hood mould linked to string course. South side has a memorial tablet, 1843. Third stage has a single lancet to north and south and to north a clock, 1889. Fourth stage has on each side a paned transomed lancet bell chamber opening with ogee headed surround. Broached octagonal spire has a crenellated base with corner pinnacles, a high crocketed band, finial and weathercock. 2 tiers of gabled lucarnes on principal faces, the lower ones with transomed double lancets. 3-bay clerestory has parapet with single bellcote on east gable. On each side, to west, a C15 flat headed 2-light ow to east, 2 similar openings containing C19 casements. Aisles have plinths and coped parapets. North aisle has to west end, C19 Perpendicular 2-light window with flat head. Rainwater head dated 1905. South aisle has restored angle buttress to west. West end has a C15 2-light window with a flat head. Transepts, late C13 and C15, have chamfered plinths, sill bands and coped parapets with gable crosses. Gables have late C13 triple lancets with intersecting tracery. North transept has diagonal buttresses, south transept west side has to left a C15 Perpendicular double lancet. East side has 2 C13 Y-traceried double lancets. All have hood moulds. South transept east side has 2 similar windows and above, 2 C15 ogee double lancets with panel tracery. West side has, above, to right a similar double lancet. Parapeted mid C19 vestry has a Geometrical double lancet to north and a doorway to east with a round window above it, both with hood moulds. Chancel, 2 bays, has chamfered plinth and coped parapet with gable cross. East end has a single gable buttress to north and an angle buttress to south. Geometrical 4-light lancet with hood mould, mid C19. South side has a central buttress with a blocked doorway to its left. Above, 2 C15 cusped double lancets. C19 north porch has roll moulded doorway with shafts and coped gable with kneelers and cross. Scissor braced roof. C13 coved and roll moulded inner doorway has shafts and hood mould. Shallow south porch has roll moulded C13 doorway with shafts, hood mould and mask stops, and coped gable with kneelers. C16 moulded tower arch has central quarefoil pier with unusual stiff leaf capital, octagonal respond to east and mask corbel to west. C14 south arcade has octagonal pier and east respond with impost to west. Both have double chamfered arches with hood moulds. Low pitched roof has moulded tie-beams inscribed "H R CARP 1629" and others with initials dated 1838 and 1860. Struts to wall shafts have traceried spandrels. 5 re-set corbels. North aisle west end has panelling, 1945, and stained glass window, c 1907. East end has C14 double chamfered arch with re-set mask corbel. C15 roof has moulded cambered tie-beams and wall shafts. South aisle has a similar eastern arch with 2 mask stops and a C19 replica of the north side roof. Transepts have moulded arch braced C19 roofs. North transept has to south east a C13 double lancet opening into vestry, and 2 re-set roof brackets and a mask corbel to its right. South transept has a traceried oak screen, C16, restored 1918. East side has a central window with stained glass by Smith of London c 1945 and to its right, a stained glass window c 1953. Beyond, an ogee headed niche and re-set finial and a C13 piscina. To the left, a doorway to the roof stair with a representation of a roof over it. Chancel has double chamfered C14 arch side has to left a C19 archway with C20 screen and door. To right, a square aumbry. East end has panelled dado and to right of the window, a large corbelled figure bracket. South side has to east a C13 double stained glass windows, 1870 and 1918. C19 roof within moulded arch braces. Fittings include C19 font and pulpit in C13 style. C19 benches and stalls with shaped ends, 1949. Brass eagle lectern, 1919. Memorials include 3 fragments of Anglo-Saxon crosses. Painted Coade stone wall memorial with sarcophagus, crest and cherubs to Mary Poulton, 1749. Mid C18 donations tablet and memorial tablet. Replica brass dated 1584 and 1598.

{2} Parish church. 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, restored mid 19th century.

{3} The church of St Giles is of the C13th and has a Perpendicular tower. In the church is part of a Saxon cross-shaft.

{10} Three pieces of stone are stood at the foot of the rood steps. See photo.

{11} [Former list description] Anglican and Methodist Parish Church of St Giles. C13, C14, C15, C16, restored mid C19. Grade I.

{12} (SP 801830). Fig.49, map of the area and, fig.62, diagram of the 9th century sculpture (a stylistic beast).

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 3/28 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), H13 p.18-19 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN100754.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.184 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> FLESHER J., 1800, Desborough, (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN105599.

<5> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.26-28 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<6> CLARKE G., 1850, Desborough Church, (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN105598.

<7> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, 42 p.3-5 (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<8> 1750?, Desborough furlong plan, (unchecked) (Map). SNN102477.

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

<10> Seaman, BH, 1969, Field investigators comments, F1 BHS 13-AUG-1969 (Notes). SNN111907.

<11> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, DOE (HHR) District of Kettering, 31/0//1991 (Report). SNN112993.

<12> Dornier, R, 1977, Mercian Studies, p. 193, 228, 230 (Journal). SNN113976.

<13> Historic England, St Giles' Church, Desborough, BF107297 (Archive). SNN115408.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 11:24AM