Building record 3030/1/4 - Church of St. John the Baptist

Church, now redundant. 12th-15th century, restored 1875 by J. B. Corby of Stamford. Squared coursed limestone and limestone ashlar with lead and Collyweston slate roofs. Aisled nave, chancel, west tower and north porch.

{1} Church, now redundant. C12, C13, C14 and C15, restored 1875 by J. B. Corby of Stamford. Squared coursed limestone and limestone ashlar with lead and Collyweston slate roofs. Aisled nave, chancel, west tower and north porch. South elevation of chancel of 2-window range of 2-light, squared-head, windows with cusped-head lights. Central priests door. Shallow gabled roof with plain ashlar parapets. Small lean-to building, to left, has Collyweston slate roof. 5-light Perpendicular east window with ho low reveals and 4-centred arch-head. Flanking, 2-stage, clasping buttresses. Shallow gable parapet, above, with finial. North elevation of chancel of 2 blank bays, with plain ashlar parapet. The chancel is constructed in ashlar. South aisle occupies 2 bays of the 4-bay nave. 2-window range of plain, 2-light, square-head, windows. Truncated 2-stage buttresses at corners. Lean-to roof with Collyweston slates. 3-light east window with panel tracery and 2-centred arch-head. 2 bays of nave, to lef , have one 2-light window, with hollow reveals and 2-centred arch-head, to left. Blocked doorway, to right, has moulded stone surround and 2-centred arch-head. 2-stage buttresses to corner and between bays. South nave clerestory of 3-window range of plain, 2-light, square-head windows. Shallow gabled roof with ashlar parapet. North aisle occupies a similar position as south aisle, relative to the nave. 2-window range of plain 2-light square-head windows, probably restored C19. Shallow 2-stage clasping buttress to corner and 2-stage buttress between bays. Lean-to roof, with Collyweston slates. 3-light east window, similar to the south aisle. North porch is attached to the west of the north aisle. 2-centred chamfered and moulded arch-head outer doorway with semi-circular responds. Trefoil head niche above. C19 trellis work outer gates. Inner doorway has hollows and roll mouldings and 4-centred arch-head. Plank door has fine strap hinges. Gabled roof with Collyweston slates and ashlar able parapets. One-window range of nave, to right of porch, has a 2-light window similar to the south elevation of the nave. North nave clerestory of 3-window range, similar to the south elevation. Late C14 ashlar west tower of 4 irregular stages, with moulded plinth. 4-stage angle buttresses, to lower 3 stages, and shallow corner pilasters to upper stage. 2-light west window, in lower stage, has tracery with mouchettes. Pairs of tall, 2-light, bell-chamber openings, with transoms, to each fa e of upper stage. Those to south face have round heads, those to north face have 2-centred arch-heads, and those to east and west faces have square-heads. Quatrefoil frieze, with castellated parapet above. Set back, octagonal, crocketed spire with 2 tiers of lucarnes. Interior: 2-bay nave arcade in the transeptal position. C14 south arcade of triple-chamfered arches with octagonal pier and corbelled responds. Similar C15 south arcade, with double-chamfered arches. Fine C12 pointed chancel arc with roll mouldings and zig-zag decoration. The chancel arch was probably reconstructed as a pointed arch, C13. Double, semi-circular, responds; the north capital depicts a castle under siege and the south capital monsters and interlaced foliage. Flanking arch-head recesses to left and right of chancel arch are also C12 with roll mouldings and detached shafts. Triple-chamfered tower arch with semi-circular responds. Pre C19 roof structures. Corbels in the nave were probably reset; when the r of was reconstructed in 1737-38; moulded tie beams and purlins in the chancel. Underside of aisle roofs are plastered, with exposed principals and purlins in the south aisle. Head of former C12 clerestory window is visible above the south arcade. Fragment of C12 frieze to south wall of nave and to south wall of south aisle; also C12 corble table in south aisle. Ogee-head piscina to right of altar, and 2-centred arch-head piscina in south aisle. Late C13 font with a decorated quatrefoil on one side and a pierced trefoil arch on a second side. Trefoil-head fragment above pulpit and carved corbel to south wall of nave. Late C19 tiled reredos to altar and similar floor tiling to sanctuary. Stained glass; fragments of C14 glass depicting arms of Delawarr in the nave and C15 glass to east windows of aisles. Late C19 stained glass to east window of chancel. Monuments: Richard Cecil, second son of Lord Burghley, chest tomb to left of altar c.1633, probably incorporating an Easter sepulchr . Edward Cecil, died 1636, fifth son of David Earl of Exeter, inscribed floor tablets in chancel, similar tablets to second, third and fourth sons of Earl of Exeter, c.1638. Matrices of brass also in floor of chancel. The Cecil family had a mansion at Wakerley. Early and mid C19 wall tablets, in nave, to Pepper family. William Charles Jackson, died 1819, inscribed tablet to south wall of chancel, by Gilbert of Stamford, has draped urn above. Samuel Hunt, died 1814, plain tablet, alongside, by T. Swann of Barrowden. William Jackson, died 1810 inscribed tablet with broad obelisk above, to south wall of chancel. Other C19 tablets alongside. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: p440; RCHM: An Inventory of Architectural Monuments in North Northamptonshire: p151)

{3} Norman chancel arch of the style and date of Castor, Peterborough.

{5} Romanesque sculpture is found on the chancel arch; in the corbels now in the S aisle and more re-set outside in the E wall of the S aisle; and in sections of string course set in the interior of the S aisle and the exterior E walls of both aisles.

{8} Two medieval tomb covers identified either side of the church. It was planned to move them inside the church.

{7} Undated photo.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 10/169 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G11 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN41470.

<3> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 631 (Book). SNN111989.

<4> 1975-85, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, (unchecked) (Series). SNN100542.

<5> King's College, London, 2017, A corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain and Ireland (Website). SNN110894.

<6> 1994, Visit Churches in Warwickshire and Northamptonshire, (checked) (Pamphlet). SNN33492.

<7> 1933, Northamptonshire County Magazine, 272 (Article). SNN54630.

<8> Redundant Churches Fund, 1982, St John the Baptist, Wakerley, (unchecked) (Correspondence). SNN57555.

<9> Historic England, St John the Baptist's Church, Wakerley, BF044033 (Archive). SNN114957.

<10> Marks R., 1998, Stained Glass Of Northamptonshire, p. 282-3 (Book). SNN101533.

<11> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 11:49AM