Building record 1775/2/1 - Church of St. Mary

Mainly 13th century church with 14th and 15th century additions. It was thoroughly restored in 1857 and 1882. Built of squared coursed and regular coursed limestone with limestone and ironstone banded ashlar tower and ashlar spire. The roofs are of lead, plain tile and Welsh slate. The church consists of an aisled nave, chancel, north and south porches and west tower.

{1} Church. Late C13 and C14 and C19. Squared coursed and regular coursed limestone with limestone and ironstone banded ashlar tower and ashlar spire. Lead, plain tile and Welsh slate roofs. Aisled nave, chancel, north and south porches and west tower. South elevation of chancel has one low-side window to far left, with transom and trefoil tracery; bottom is blocked. South door is now a window. Evidence of blocked window to right. Slated gabled roof with ashlar gable parapets. Parapet at abutment with nave follows the line of a gambrel. 2-light east window with reticulated tracery and carved label stops. Clasping buttresses to right corner. North elevation of chancel has C19 vestry attached with single-light east window. Shallow gable roof with ashlar gable parapets. South aisle of 4 bays; 3-window range with 3-light window to far right with reticulated tracery and carved label stops. Two 2-light windows have renewed Y-tracery. Lean-to roof with ashlar gable parapets. 3-light east window with Y-tracery and similar 2-light west window. Gabled porch in a bay to left of centre. Double chamfered outer arch with octagonal responds and roll-moulded inner arch with 2 orders of shafts. Plain tile roof. North aisle of 4 bays; 3-window range with 3-light window under 4-centred head to far left and two 2-light windows, one with Y-tracery, the other with a trefoil circle. Lean-to roof with ashlar parapets. C19 two-light west window. Gabled porch in bay to right of centre has double chamfered outer arch with carved label stops and moulded inner arch. Blocked window to former parvis room above outer doorway. Quadripartite ribbed vault and plain tile roof. Partially legible tablet on north aisle wall has early C18 date; probably refers to a restoration. 3-bay nave clerestory of 2-light square-head windows. Shallow gable roof with ashlar parapet. C14 west tower of 3 stages with 3-stage angle buttresses to western corners of lower 2 stages. The base of the tower is embraced by the aisles. Fine west doorway has crocketted ogee head with fragments of figures in the hollow moulding. Flanking ribbed pinnacles. 2-light window above with mouchettes. 2-light bell-chamber openings in upper stage have reticulated tracery and are set in a recessed wall panel. Corbelled parapet above has quatrefoil frieze. Gargoyles and base of ribbed pinnacles at corners. Octagonal spire rises behind parapet, with 2 tiers of lucarnes. Interior: 3-bay nave arcade of late C13 roll-moulded arches with qua trefoil piers with keeled shafts in the diagonals. The north and south sides differ in detail. Double chamfered chancel arch with bracketted responds. Tall triple chamfered tower arch with continuous responds, to nave. Similar smaller tower arches to aisles. C19 roof structures, that in the chancel has 3 trusses with decorated spandrels. C19 moulded arch from chancel to vestry/organ chamber. Original 3-light east window of the north aisle now forms screen between vestry and aisle. Trefoil-head piscina to right. South aisle east window and south-east window have roll-moulded inner arch and one has label stops. Double piscina with Y-tracery and shafts in south aisle, also arch-head niche. Perpendicular pulpit with tracery panels and C14 screen with doors. C19 painted tablets with 10 commandments flanking chancel east window. Stained glass: fragments of C14 glass in north aisle north-east window and C19 glass to chancel east window and tower west window. Monuments: 2 illegible brass tablets to Saunderson family in vestry, tablet dated 1694, above, to Elizabeth Sanderson has flanking scrolls and arched cornice. 2 tablets, late C18 and early C19, to Gascoyen family in south aisle. C19 octagonal font. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.292; V.C.H.: Northamptonshire, Vol.3, p.160).

{5} Undated photo.

{6} Monitoring of drainage works along the south side of the church recorded an undated inhumation and foundations of the buttress at the end of the south wall.

{8} St Mary's Church, Little Addington, is 13-14th cent. With additions in the 15th and 18th cents. Restored in 1857 and 1882.

{10} Only scanty traces of medieval glazing survive in nave north aisle window.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 5/97 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

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

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

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

<5> Photographs of buildings in Little Addington (Photographs). SNN112634.

<6> Williams S., 2000, An Archaeological Watching Brief, The Church Of St Mary, Little Addington, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN100757.

<7> Ordnance Survey Map (Scale/date), OS 6" 1955 (Map). SNN112944.

<8> Page W. (ed), 1930, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p. 162-3 (Series). SNN100370.

<9> Historic England, St Mary's Church, Little Addington, BF052966 (Archive). SNN115036.

<10> Marks R., 1998, Stained Glass Of Northamptonshire, p. 124 (Book). SNN101533.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 1:12PM