Building record 2775/2/1 - St. Andrew's Church, Cotterstock

Late 12th-14th century chancel added after foundation of College at Cotterstock in 1337, 15th century porch, restored and extended 1876. Coursed limestone rubble, squared coursed limestone and limestone ashlar with Collyweston slate and lead roofs. Aisled nave chancel south porch, vestry and west tower.

{1} Church. Late C12th, C13th, C14th chancel added after foundation of College at Cotterstock in 1337, C15 porch, restored and extended 1876. Coursed limestone rubble, squared coursed limestone and limestone ashlar with Colleyweston slate and lead roofs. Aisled nave chancel south porch, vestry and west tower. South elevation of chancel is ashlar with a 3-window range of large, 3-light, Decorated windows with cusped lozenges. 2-stage buttresses between bays. Plain parapet with 2 gargoyles. Steeply gabled r of with Collyweston slates and ashlar gable parapets. 5-light east window is similar to south aisle windows. Central buttress below window and flanking 3-stage buttresses, stringcourse above window and plain gable above. North elevation of chancel of 3 bays, 2-window range of 3-light windows similar to the south elevation. Central 2 stage buttress and priest's door to left. Gabled vestry c.1876 projects from bay to far left. C19 octagonal flue rises from parapet of main roof. South aisle of bays, one-window range with a 2-light square-head window to the right. 2-stage clasping buttresses at the corners. Lean-to roof with ashlar gable parapets. 2-light east and west windows; west window has a square head. Ashlar gabled porch projects from left bay. Outer doorway has 4-centre arch head and moulded stone surround with multi-polygonal responds. Inner doorway is double chamfered with a 2-centred arch head. 2-stage clasping buttresses at corners. 2-light square head windows, in return walls, have central gargoyles above. Shallow gabled roof, with castellated ashlar parapet, has armorial beasts at apex and eaves. Tierceron-vaulted ceiling with ridge ribs and fine carved bosses. North aisle of 3 bays, 2-window range of 2-light square head windows. North doorway, in bay to right, has 2-centred arch head and moulded surround. Single-stage clasping buttresses at corners. Lean-to roof with ashlar parapets. 2-light east and west windows; west window has square head. Nave clerestory of 2-window range of 2-light square-head windows. Shallow gabled roof has plain ashlar parapet with corbel table. West tower of regular coursed rubble. 3 stages with ashlar clasping buttresses to western corners of lower 2 stages. Late C12 west doorway has one order of shafts with scalloped capitals and semi-circular arch with zig-zag decoration. Niche, above, has a carved bracket and C19 statue of St. Andrew. Small single-light window above. There are no divisions between the lower 2 stages on the south and west faces. The lower stage on the north face is rendered. C13 two-light bell-chamber openings with plate tracery, one order of shafts and central shafts. Perpendicular castellated ashlar parapet has panel decoration. Evidence of blocked openings in south wall of tower. Interior: 2-bay nave arcade of early C13 double-chamfered arches with circular piers and octagonal capitals. Double chamfered chancel arch with semi-circular responds and double chamfered tower arch with sem -circular responds and nailhead decoration to the capitals. Original chancel ceiling, following a shallower pitch than the gabled roof above it, has moulded beams with 5 carved bosses. C19 nave and aisle roofs. Piscina and triple sedilia, to right of altar, has ogee head openings with carved label stops and crocketing. Ogee-head niche to left of altar. Doorway to vestry has traces of paintwork on hood mould and originally led to the College buildings. Stone benches to aisle walls. Coffin lid orms bench end to left of south doorway. Squints to right and left of chancel arch. Carved bracket to left of north aisle east window. Stained glass: fragments of medieval glass in north east window of north aisle. C19 and C20 stained glass in centre and east windows of north aisle, south east and east windows of south aisle and belfry window. Perpendicular octagonal font decorated with eleborate cusping. Monuments: Defaced effigy in tower probably a C13 Canon. Robert Wintringham, Canon of Linc ln died 1420, brass effigy with architectural surround with tall pinnacles. John Sinscare died 1760 by Edward Bingham of Peterborough. Inscribed tablet in tower with flanking tapered pilasters and obelisk over; naval still-life below. Various C18 and C19 inscribed tablets in tower. The Chantry College was founded for a provost and 12 Canons by John Gifford, Canon of York and was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, Blessed Apostles, St. Andrew and All Saints. It was dissolved in 1536.

{8} The chancel tiles may have been designed by Lord Alwyne Compton.

{9} Church Farm at TL04939057 has much early fabric but nothing of C14th which might represent college remains.

{11} The west doorway of the tower, is the only 12th century feature. It has a segmental head and is composed of two orders. The inner archivolt is carved with point-to-point chevron. Beneath it, the lower part of each impost block is carved in imitation of a capital. That on the left is carved with V-shaped, folded ribbon motif; that on the right with pointed, hollowed leaves. There is a roll on the arris of each doorjamb, and no capitals. The outer archivolt is carved with frontal face chevron. The imposts are carried by scallop capitals on en-delit shafts. The capitals have two shields on each face. The shields on the left capital are surrounded by plain raised bands, those on the right capital by beading. The inverted Vs rising between the cones of the left capital are decorated with beading; those on the right are plain. The label returns to the left but not to the right.

The west doorway of the tower appears to have been re-set. The segmental shape of the arch is uncharacteristic of the period, and several voussoirs show signs of trimming. It probably dates from c.1150-70.

{12} Undated photo.

{13} St Andrew's Church, recorded as `worthy of preservation' in 1984.

{18} The medieval glass has been collected in the eastrernmost north aisle window, together with in situ Holt sheild and canopywork of a design which occurs between c1368 and c1380-86.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 17/48 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G10 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN41470.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1984, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.37-40 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77384.

<4> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches, (unchecked) (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<5> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.160-61 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<6> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.166 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100369.

<7> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.438-39 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<8> Pearson L., 2003, Gazeteer of British Tile and Architectural Ceramic Sites: County Draft, Northamptonshire, p.3 (part checked) (Gazetteer). SNN103233.

<9> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, TL09SW8 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<10> Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society, 2011, TACS (Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society) Location Database (Gazetteer). SNN107648.

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

<12> Photographs of buildings in Cotterstock (Photographs). SNN112091.

<13> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1984, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. X (Series). SNN77384.

<14> Historic England, Undated, St Andrew's Church, Cotterstock, BF044008 (Archive). SNN115773.

<15> Historic England, North Northamptonshire Inventory: Cotterstock, BF112011 (Archive). SNN115774.

<16> Bloxham M.H., 1878, On The Medieval Sepulchral Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.248+59+61 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN107097.

<17> Lee M., 2004, Henry Penn, Bellfounder, 1685-1729, p.41-53 (unchecked) (Article). SNN109357.

<18> Marks R., 1998, Stained Glass Of Northamptonshire, p. 46-7 (Book). SNN101533.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 12:10PM