Building record 2646/1/1 - St Mary's Church

Church with late 11th century origins. Altered and added to during the mid and late 12th century, early and mid 13th century and early 14th century. Restored in 1885-6 by Ewan Christian. Restored again in 1935. Squared coursed limestone with lead and Colleyweston slate roofs. Aisled nave, chancel, north and south porches and west tower.

{1} Church. Late C11th, mid and late C12th, early and mid C13th and early C14th, restored 1886. Squared coursed limestone with lead and Collyweston slate roofs. Aisled nave, chancel, north and south porches and west tower. South elevation of chancel is of 2-window range with single lancet to left and 2-light window, with carved label stops, to right. Single-stage ashlar buttress at corner. Steeply gabled roof with Colleyweston slates and ashlar gable parapet with finial. 3-light, Perpendicular, east window with panel tracery, is flanked by single-stage buttresses. North elevation of chancel is a 2-window range similar to the south elevation. Corbelled and chamfered stringcourse above window heads and rendered panel between windows. South aisle of 5 bays; 4-window range. Two early C14, long, 3-light windows, to right, have roll moulded surrounds and cusping to heads of outer lights. Double lancet window, to left of centre, and single lancet to far left. 2-stage ashlar buttress to right corner a d shallow corner buttress to left. 3-light east window, similar to adjacent south windows and small low lancet in west wall. C19 gabled porch projects from bay to left of centre. Roll moulded and chamfered outer doorway. Transitional inner doorway has one order of shafts and nailhead decoration. North aisle of 6 bays; 5-window range. Small single lancet to far left and 2-light square-head window adjacent. 2 lancets to centre and a 2-light window, restored C19, to far right. String course belo window rises beneath sill of square-head window. 2-stage clasping buttress to left corner and gabled clasping buttress to right corner. 2-light east window has plate tracery. West elevation has small quatrefoil light. Lean-to roof with ashlar gable parapets. C19 gabled porch, projects from bay to right of centre, and is similar to south porch. Late C12 inner doorway has 2 orders of shafts with stiff leaf capitals and zig-zag decoration to arch. Nave clerestory of 3-window range of 2-light sq are-head windows; those on the south side have no tracery. Shallow gabled roof with plain ashlar parapets and finial. West tower incorporates C11, C12 and C13 work. 5 stages with plinth . The middle 2 stages are not deliniated on the north and south faces. Small single-light window with crude arch head in second stage of north face. Similar, squared-head, light to south face. Single-light, arch-head, window to west face of third stage. 2-light bell-chamber openings, with central shaft, to each ace of upper stage are set in semi-circular arch-head recesses. Plain ashlar parapet above. Large 4-stage buttress abutting west wall of south aisle has stair turret in angle with the tower. 2 small lancet windows. Similar, irregular, 3-stage buttress abutts west wall of north aisle. Interior: 5-bay nave arcade on south side and 6-bay on north side. 2 bays on south side and 3 bays on north side are C12. Semi-circular, double-stepped, arches with circular piers, square abaci and scalloping. The underside of these arches has C19 painted leaf and scroll decoration. Other bays have double-chamfered pointed arches with circular piers, one has nailhead decoration to the capital. Semi-circular responds are all similar with square abaci. The eastern arch of the north arcade is partially blocked, to form a vestry, and has a doorway with 2-centred-arch head with nailhead decoration. C19 wooden chancel arch with open traceried spandrels. Original C12 tower arch is similar to the western arca es of the nave. C13 double chamfered arch is built into original opening. Reveal of blocked opening above tower arch may be C11. Relieving arch above doorway to tower staircase, to left. Arch-head tomb recess and niche in south aisle, also carved bracket attached to sill of south east window. Double piscina to right of altar has central shaft. Evidence of earlier window pattern visible around east window. Stone benches to north aisle wall. C19 roof structures. Jacobean pulpit. C18 communion rail with turned balusters. 7 stalls, with misericords, from Church of St. Mary and All Saints, Fotheringhay (q.v.). Upper part of Perpendicular screen behind south aisle altar. South aisle altar also probably incorporates some medieval wood work. Octagonal font on 5 shafts with 4 large ballflowers. 3 pews in north aisle have fleur-de-lis bench ends. 3 medieval altar slabs; in chancel, south aisle and reset in belfry. Stained glass; late C19 and early C20 east window of chancel and south aisle wi dow. Monuments; John Colt, Rector, died 1440; brass effigy on wall to right of altar. Late C17, partially legible, inscribed tablet to right of altar has cherubs head above. Joseph Foster died 1819; plain inscribed tablet, with brackets, in north aisle. John Cave, died 1821; inscribed tablet by Harrison of Oundle, in south aisle, has reeded pilaster and urn above.

{9}The parish church of Tansor acquired miseriecords originally from the collegiate choir (demolished in 1622) formerly part of Fotheringhay church.

{10} Undated photo.

{11} [Former list description] A Church of St. Mary
A stone church consisting of chancel, nave and clerestory, aisles, N and S porches, and W tower, it is mainly Transitional and Early English with later alterations. It was restored in 1885, Mr. Ewan Christian, architect, and again in 1935. The chancel has an Early English piscina, nine choir stalls from Fotheringhay, and a small C12 doorway, now leading to the vestry.
The nave arcades have 5 bays, the clerestory three windows on each side. The pulpit is early C17.
S aisle has a piscina and some remains of the rood screen.
The tower arch is Early English inserted in a Transitional opening. Both N. and S. doors are Transitional.
The church stands on the east bank of the river Nene.

{12} Sketch and notes on church;

Historic England, Undated, St Marys Church, Tansor, BF107418 (Archive). SNN116009.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 6/141 (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.145-9 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77384.

<4> The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.597-99 (unchecked) (Series). SNN10247.

<5> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, 40 p.44-47 (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<6> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches, (unchecked) (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<7> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.475-78 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<8> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.423-25 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<9> Johnston G., 2000-01, Excavation of an Ossuary at Fotheringhay Church, Northamptonshire, P165 (checked) (Article). SNN103949.

<10> Photographs of buildings in Tansor (Photographs). SNN113271.

<11> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, DOE (HHR) Dist. of Oundle & Thrapston, Northants. April 1963 121 (Report). SNN112993.

<12> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/262/1 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 12:12PM