Building record 1347/5/1 - Church of St. Lawrence

Medieval church, mainly of 13th-14th century date. Restored 1855-6. Regular coursed and squared coursedlimestone with ashlar spire. Lead, Colleyweston slate and plain tile roofs. Nave, chancel south aisle, organ chamber and vestry, south porch and west tower.

{1} Church. C13 and C14, restored 1858. Regular coursed and squared coursed limestone with ashlar spire. Lead, Colleyweston slate and plain tile roofs. Nave, chancel south aisle, organ chamber and vestry, south porch and west tower. South elevation of chancel of 2 bays, one-window range with 3-light windows under 4-centred arch heads. 6-panel C18 arch-head south door to centre. Ashlar buttresses between bays. Shallow gabled roof with castellated ashlar parapet and finial. 4-light Perpendicular east indow with 4-centred head and curved label stops. North elevation of chancel has C19 lean-to vestry and gabled organ chamber attached. 3-light north window and 2-light east window. Plain tile roof. South aisle of 4 bays; 2-window range of 3-light Perpendicular windows to right, with 4-centred arch heads. Small blocked doorway in left bay. Lean-to roof with castellated ashlar parapet. 2-light square-head east and west windows. 2-storey gabled porch in bay to left of centre, has double chamfere outer arch with 2-light square-head window above. Chamfered and stepped inner doorway has one order of shafts. Shallow gabled roof with castellated ashlar parapet and finial. Stair turret with lean-to stone roof to left of porch. North elevation of nave of 3-window range of tall 3-light windows with 4-centred arch heads. Blocked north door to right of centre has carved tablet above. 3-stage buttresses between bays. Steep gabled roof with Colleyweston slates, castellated ashlar parapet and ga le finial. Octagonal west tower of 2 stages with shallow buttresses to lower part of first stage. West lancet window with octofoil window above. Upper stage is set back with 2-light bell-chamber openings in the cardinal directions and similar blind arcading, each with central corbel, to the diagonal faces of the octagon. Octagonal ashlar spire has corbel table and castellated frieze at base. 3 tiers of lucarnes. Polygonal stair turret is attached to north face of tower. Interior: 3-bay south rcade, to nave, of double chamfered arches with quatrefoil piers. Double-chamfered chancel arch with octagonal responds and nail head decoration. Triple chamfered tower arch. C19 roof structures. Double piscina in south aisle has central column. Trefoil-head arched seat to right of chancel arch facing into chancel. C19 chamfered arch to organ chamber. Perpendicular octagonal font, with the stem missing. Monuments: Thomas de Wynchy, C14, inscribed brass strip in chancel floor. John Atkins died 1 69 wife and family, inscribed tablet, to left of altar, with arms over. C18 oval tablet to left and various C19 tablets to right. Communion rail has 4 turned balusters. Stained glass: C19 east window, 2 west windows and south aisle east window, the latter is by Kempe. Original scaffold holes are visible in the tower. Pitch hooks for removing burning thatch attached to belfry wall. Room over porch has C20 roof and partially legible inscribed memorial tablet fixed to the wall. (Buildings of En land: Northamptonshire, p.412).

{3} Three areas of the church were subject to small interventions involving the lifting of floorboards or flagstones and excavation down to a depth of 0.20-0.35m. Human skeletal material was seen in all three areas. The remains were fragmentary and disarticulated, and comprised long bones, craniums, ribs, mandibles and pelvis fragments. The bones indicated an age range of adults, and at least one juvenile, were present. The condition of the bones suggests burials beneath the floor of the church had previously been disturbed by later interments or building alterations.

Earlier building features were identified including a stone-capped drain, in an area against the north wall of the nave, which is likely to be of medieval or post-medieval date, and Victorian-era brick-built flues from a former heating system which were observed in a trench extending the width of the nave and aisles. Timber joists for support of the pews were also seen in both of these areas.

{4} Collyweston slates are now eraching the end of their serviceable life and require replacement to prevent water ingress.

{6} Two undated photos;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 5/109 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G07 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN41470.

<3> Bassir, A. and Finn, C., 2015, Archaeological observation at the Church of St Laurence, Stanwick, Northamptonshire 2015, checked (Report). SNN110400.

<4> Historic England, 2017, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2017 (Report). SNN111090.

<4> Historic England, 2018, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2018 (Report). SNN111434.

<5> Horne, B (editor), 2016, South Midlands Archaeology (46), p. 45 (Journal). SNN111326.

<6> Photographs of buildings in Stanwick (Photographs). SNN113182.

<7> Salzman L.F.(ed), 1937, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p. 51, 52-54 (Series). SNN100371.

<8> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.195 (Book). SNN77326.

<9> Historic England, Undated, St Lawrences Church, Stanwick, Raunds, BF107394 (Archive). SNN115834.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 1:05PM