Building record 2285/2/4 - Church of St. Peter

Late 12th-13th century, restored 19th century. Squared coursed limestone with ashlar tower and spire and lead and Collyweston slate roofs. Aisled nave, chancel, south porch, north vestry and west tower.

{1} Church. Late C12, mainly C13, restored C19. Squared coursed limestone with ashlar tower and spire and lead and Collyweston slate roofs. Aisled nave, chancel, south porch, north vestry and west tower. South elevation of chancel of 3-window range of tall, 2-light, windows with C19 tracery. Window to left has low cill and a transom. 2-stage buttresses to right and at corner. Shallow gabled roof with plain ashlar parapet and C19 finial. 5-light Perpendicular west window is flanked by 2-stage buttresses. North elevation of chancel is of 3 bays. One 2-light window, similar to south elevation, to far right. Gabled vestry breaks forward to left. South gable has small C13 lancet in apex. Cl9 two-light window in return wall. C19 door opening in right return wall. Gabled roof with Collyweston slates and ashlar parapets. C19 lateral stone stack to right of vestry. South aisle of 4 bays, 3-window range. 2-light window to right and 3-light window with 4-centred arch head, to centre, both with Cl9 tracery. Window to left has carved label stops. 2-light window to far left has Y-tracery with cusping and trefoil circle. Lean-to roof with castellated ashlar parapet and remains of 3 gargoyles. 2-light east window has Y-tracery with cusping and trefoil circle. 2-light west window with Y-tracery and transom. Gabled porch to left of centre has roll-moulded outer arch and similar restored inner arch. 2-light square-head windows in return walls. North aisle of 4 bays, 3-window range. 2-light windows to far left and right with Perpendicular and reticulated tracery. 3-light window to left of centre has 4-centred arch head. Simple ogee-head north doorway to right of centre. 2-stage clasping buttresses at corners and 2-stage buttresses between windows. Lean-to roof with plain ashlar parapet. 2-light east and west windows with reticulated tracery. Nave clerestory of 4-window range of 2-light square-head windows with C19 tracery. Shallow gabled roof with castellated ashlar parapets and C19 finial. Decorated west tower of 3 stages with 2-stage clasping buttresses to tower. 2-stage moulded plinth. 2-light ogee-head west window in lower stage has C19 tracery and hood mould with carved label stops. Circular west window in middle stage has C19 tracery. 2-light bell-chamber openings with moulded reveals and reticulated tracery to each face of upper stage. Broach spire with tall broaches rising from corbel table. 3 tiers of lucarnes, the lower stage has circular shafts and semi-circular responds. Interior: 3-bay nave arcade of double-chamfered arches. West pier of north arcade is late C12, circular with a square abacus. East pier is a c.l300 quatrefoil. South arcade is C13 with circular piers, octagonal abaci, and corbelled responds. Double chamfered chancel arch and triple chamfered tower arch, both with corbelled responds. C19 roof structures. Ogee-head piscina, restored C19, to left of altar has stepped window cill forming a sedilia alongside. Priest door to vestry, opposite, has 2-centred arch head with roll mouldings. Shallow recess with arch head to left of doorway. Piscina in south aisle window cill has ogee head and single shaft support; second piscina to left has trefoil head. East walls of aisle has 4 corbelled brackets. Holy water stoup to left of south door has ogee head. Door to tower stair has stepped ogee head and roll mouldings. Octagonal font has cluster shaft support, with hollows. Monuments: Mrs. Davenant, c.1616, to left of altar has rectangular inscribed panel with strap surround. Armorial device with scrolls and dentilled cornice and obelisk above. Mary Manninge died 1780, oval tablet in north aisle. 2 early C19 marble tablets to Sandersen family in chancel. Stained glass: 3 south windows of chancel have early C14 glass at tracery level. Window to right has panels depicting St. Christopher and St. George. C19 east window with medieval fragments in tracery. Late C19 east windows of aisles and west window of belfry. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.77; V.C.H.: Northamptonshire, Vol.3, p.168).


{2}Undated stone drain observed during watching brief undertaken by G Cadman.

{13} St Peter's has an aisled and clerestoreyed nave with three-bay north and south arcades. All the arches of both arcades are pointed with two deeply chamfered orders. These are probably 14th century, but the south arcade's cylindrical piers with moulded and nailhead capitals are 13th century in date. The north arcade is entirely 14th century, except for one cylindrical pier with a green man capital, which is 12th century. This is the only Romanesque piece in the church. Similar green man capitals occur elsewhere in the county, at Isham and Pytchley. Pevsner dates them to the late 12th century; a date in the 1170s or '80s is suggested here.

{14} Undated photo;

{15} Drawing of St. George stained glass, drawing of door to belfry tower, other drawings and notes;

{16} St Peter's Church has one of the most rewarding ensembles of 14th-century glass in the county, although heavily restored. Confined to the chancel and principally of two periods. It was restored on at least two occasions in the 19th century.

{18} [Former list description]. A Church of St. Peter. Stone, nave and aisles with battlemented parapets, chancel with plain parapet, lead roofs. The church consists of chancel, nave and clerostory, aisles, south
porch and west tower and spire, and is late C12, C13, C14 and C15 with C19 alterations. The chancel is largely rebuilt but has a C15 piscina, a doorway to vestry and C14 chancel arch. The nave arcades have 3 bays, the west pier of north arcade appears to be late C12 with carved cap, the remainder C14. The clerestory
has four windows and the roof has been restored. The tower arch is C14. The C14 tower has 3 stages and spire with 3 tiers of dormers. In the chancel is a strapwork monument to Margaret Davenant, d. 1613.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 11/7 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> Dix B., 1992, Recent Work in Northamptonshire Archaeology, P118 (Article). SNN104441.

<3> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 77-8 (Book). SNN111989.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, (unchecked) (Series). SNN77383.

<5> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<6> 1796, Estate map of Aldwincle, (unchecked) (Map). SNN102372.

<7> Cadman G, 1990, Aldwincle, Church of St Peter, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN55125.

<8> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1984, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, (unchecked) (Series). SNN77384.

<9> Baker G., 1822-36, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN10400.

<10> The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.171-72 (unchecked) (Series). SNN10247.

<11> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G08 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN41470.

<12> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.212-13 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<13> King's College, London, 2017, A corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain and Ireland, Site 724 (Website). SNN110894.

<14> Photographs of buildings in Aldwincle (Photographs). SNN111847.

<15> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/8/1, 4-7 (Archive). SNN115.

<16> Marks R., 1998, Stained Glass Of Northamptonshire, p. 4-9 (Book). SNN101533.

<17> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<18> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, DOE (HHR) District of Oundle and Thrapston R.D. April 1963 (Report). SNN112993.

<19> Historic England, Undated, St Peter's Church, Aldwincle, BF044001 (Archive). SNN115764.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 12:55PM