Building record 2240/1/1 - Church of St. John the Baptist

Early and late 13th century, restored and enlarged circa 1862 by William Slater. Squared coursed limestone with ashlar tower and spire and Colleyweston slate and lead roofs. Aisled nave, chancel, transepts, south porch, north vestry and west tower.

{1} Church. Early and late C13, restored and enlarged c.1862 by William Slater. Squared coursed limestone with ashlar tower and spire and Colleyweston slate and lead roofs. Aisled nave, chancel, transepts, south porch, north vestry and west tower. South elevation of chancel of 3-window range of 2-light windows. Window to right is late C13 with quatrefoil circle and carved label stops, other 2 are mainly C19. Priest door to left of centre and single stage buttresses, with gablets to, right of centre nd far right. Corbel table supporting C19 gutter. Steep gabled roof and ashlar gable parapets with finial. 3-light east window has C19 tracery with trefoils. Flanking buttresses have gablets with Y-tracery decoration. North elevation of chancel of one-window range with C19 two-light window similar to south elevation. Flanking buttresses. South elevation of chancel of 3 bays; 2-window range of C19 two-light windows. C19 corbel table, supporting gutter, and steeply gabled roof with ashlar gable parapets and finial. Bay to left has C19 gabled porch. Chamfered and moulded outer doorway has corbelled responds with short shafts. Double chamfered inner doorway. South transept breaks forward to right. Late C13 two-light south window has quatrefoil circle and elongated trefoils. C19 two-light east window has medieval label stops. C19 corbel table, ashlar gable parapet and steeply gabled roof. C19 north aisle of 3-window range of 2-light windows with single-stage buttresses between. Lean-to lead roof with plain ashlar parapet and corbel table. 2-light west window. North transept, to left of north aisle, has 2-light window, similar to south aisle, restored C19. Ashlar gable parapet with octagonal flue at apex. C19 organ chamber and vestry abuts transept to east and has 2-light north and east windows. Buttresses at corners and abutment. Corbel table, ashlar gable parapet and steeply gabled roof. West tower of 3 stages with plinth. 2-stage angle buttresses to south-west corner of low r two stages. Polygonal stair turret to north-west corner. Early C13 west door has 2 orders of shafts and roll-moulded arch. 2 lancet windows above doorway. Quatrefoil circles in north and south faces of second stage. 2-light bell-chamber openings, with Y-tracery, to each face of upper stage. 2 openings also have trefoil circles. Hood mould is linked by string course. Corbel table with carved heads linked by trefoil arcading. Broach spire with 2 tiers of lucarnes. Interior: 3-bay nave arcade f C19 double-chamfered arches with quatrefoil piers and foliated capitals. Similar double-chamfered arch from north aisle to transept. C13 double-chamfered chancel arch and similar arches to transepts with corbelled responds. Early C13 stiff-leaf capital to north-east respond. Similar triple-chamfered tower arch. C19 roof structures. Low cill, forming sedilia, to window to right of altar. Plain octagonal font. C19 furnishings. Trefoil-head piscina in north transept. C19 stained glass to east indow, south window of chancel, and north transept window. Monuments: Arthur Elmes died 1663, reset oval wreathed tablet in tower with cherub above and scull below. 3 other partially legible C17/early C18 tablets in tower, 2 have armorial devices above, the other is a plain tablet. Sir Thomas Powys died 1719, monument in south transept, said to be reset from Lilford Church, by Robert Hartshorne. Large standing monument with detached Corinthian columns and open segmental pediment: putti and drap ry falling over reclining figure below inscribed panel, flanked by figures of Truth and Justice. Charles and Henry Powys died 1804 and 1812, inscribed tablet to west wall of south transept has military still-life below. Henrietta Maria Powys died 1820, inscribed tablet to east wall of north transept has still-life of books and bowls below. Thomas Powys, second Lord Lilford, died 1825, inscribed tablet alongside. 3 similar C19 tablets to east wall of south transept have pediments over. Various C18 inscribed floor tablets to Powys family in south transept and mid C19 brass inscribed tablets to Powys family in transepts and chancel. Thomas Atherton Powys died 1882, marble medallion, with profile, to right of altar. The Powys family lived at Lilford Hall (q.v.). Robert Browne (1550-1630), who was Rector of Achurch, formed the first Independant Congregation.

{4} The church of St John Baptist, Thorpe Achurch, was all built in c1280-90 except for additons of 1862 (restored) and 1912.

{5} Undated photo;

{9} [Former list description] A stone church consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, S. porch and W. tower with spire. Maninly C.13, the chancel and tower built c. 1230 by Asceline de Waterville. Nave arcades have 4 bays. The church was restored in 1862 and the spire in 1896. The interior has been almost entirely refurnished. In the churchyard on S. side of chancel is the tomb of Asceline de Waterville, and inside are monuments to members of Lord Lilford's family including one, brought from Lilford church when it was demolished, to Sir Thomas Powys, Justice of the Queen's Bench,
d. 1719, marble with figure in full-bottomed wig.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 7/125 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G09 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN41470.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.427 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Page W. (ed), 1930, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.135 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100370.

<5> Photographs of buildings in Thorpe Achurch (Photographs). SNN113595.

<6> Tillemans P., 1721, A Prospect Down The River Nene of Achurch and Lilford, (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN109153.

<7> Lee M., 2004, Henry Penn, Bellfounder, 1685-1729, p.41-53 (unchecked) (Article). SNN109357.

<8> Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society, 2011, TACS (Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society) Location Database (Gazetteer). SNN107648.

<9> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, DOE (HHR) District of Oundle and Thrapston R.D. Northants. April 1963 (Report). SNN112993.

<10> Historic England, St John the Baptists Church, Thorpe Achurch, BF107420 (Archive). SNN114709.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 12:49PM