Building record 1301/1/1 - St. Peter's Church

The Church of St Peter has its origins in the 12th century with later additions and alterations in the 13th, 14th and 19th centuries, with internal paintings dating to the 15th century. Restoration took place in circa 1900. The building is of limestone and ashlar with an ashlar west tower and spire and lead roofs. It is in Perpendicular style.

{1} Church. C12, C13 and C14, some C19 restoration. Squared coursed limestone with ashlar dressings and ashlar west tower and spire. Lead roofs. Aisled nave and chancel, south porch and west tower. South elevation of chancel of one-window range with 3-light Perpendicular window under 4-centred arch head with transoms and cusping. Chancel has clerestory and shallow gabled roof with castellated ashlar parapets. Fine 6-light east window of c.1275, restored c.1900 has large roundel with cusping and 6 quatrefoil circles. Flanking gabled buttresses. North elevation of chancel is of 3 bays. 2-window range of 3-light Perpendicular windows under 4-centred heads, with transom and cusping. Irregularly spaced 2- and 3-stage buttresses between bays. South aisle and south chancel of 9 bays, 7-window range. Four 3-light early Perpendicular windows to nave aisle and two 3-light Perpendicular south chapel windows under 4-centred arch heads. Several windows have carved label stops. Central 2-light square-head window has transitional south door to right with stepped arch and one order of shafts. 2-stave buttresses between bays. Lean-to roof with plain ashlar parapet. 3-light Perpendicular east window with segmental head, transoms and cusping. 3-light west window has ogee head. 2-storey porch to left of nave range has triple chamfered outer arch with 3 orders of renewed shafts. 2-light window above. Shallow gabled roof with castellated ashlar parapet with sundial and finial.
Double stepped and chamfered inner door has one order of shafts. Moulded ceiling beams. North aisle of 7 bays, 6-window range of 6-light windows with flowing tracery. Double chamfered and stepped north door, with one order of shafts, in bay to right of centre. 2 stage buttresses between bays and ashlar parapets with 2 gargoyles. 3-light east and 4-light west window. Nave clerestory of 7-window range of 2-light Perpendicular windows. Shallow gabled roof with shallow castellated parapet and finial. Chancel clerestory of 4-window range, to south side only, is of 2-light square-head windows. Fine Early English west tower of 4 stages with 4-stage set back angle buttresses. Nest portal has roll moulded outer arch with cluster shafts and similar slight recesses inner arch. Small blank trefoil-head arches to left and right. Second stage of west face is a 4-bay arcade of single and double chamfered arches with cluster shafts. Lancets in centre 2 bays with roll mouldings. Outer arcades are blank with trefoil heads and central quatrefoil windows. The second stage of the north and south faces are taller than the west face and have 4 bays of blank arcading with double chamfered arches, cluster piers and trefoils in the spandrels. The north face has. Corbelled Y-tracery with carved figures at the apex of each arch and musicians in each spandrel. The third stage of the west face has a central gable with flanking diagonals forming a W shape, and 2-light trefoil-head window with shafts. 2 blind quatrefoils flanking at the lower level and 2 similar at the upper level. North and south faces of third stage of 5 bays of blank arcades with shafts with a central 2-light window. Similar east face. Each face of fourth stage has pairs of double lancet bell-chamber openings with double chamfered heads, enclosing outer arch and shafts. Blank arch to left and right on each face. Corbel table and broach spire with 3 tiers of lucarnes, each with Y-tracery. Interior: C13 five-bay nave arcade of double chamfered arches with octagonal piers. The 2 arcades are probably of slightly different builds. South arcade has half arch at abutment with chancel and second pier from chancel is formed of 2 octagonal responds, probably corresponding with the transept of the C12 church. Evidence of C12 window head above south arcade. Chancel arch with hollow chamfer and 2 rows of ball flowers. Triple chamfered tower arch with shafts has C15 stone clock dial in apex. Inner arch below clock dial links with belfry rib vault which has a central octagonal opening. 2 and 2 half-bays of chamfered arches between chancel and south aisle have circular piers. Original moulded tie beams and corbels to aisle roofs. 2 piscinas and single sedilia, with crocketted gable, to right of altar. Piscina with trefoil head in former south chapel, now vestry. C13 circular font with rams head attached to bowl. Base of Perpendicular chancel screen and reset fragments of screen in chancel arcades. Reredos with flowing tracery to north aisle altar. C18 polygonal table was formerly the tester of the pulpit. Brass chandelier given in 1762. Monuments: brasses to John Tawyer died 1470 and wife, also Lady c.1500 both to right of chancel altar and slab with brass indents to left. John Wales, vicar, died 1496 is a chest tomb with trefoil head panels and no effigy. Coffin lid with foliated cross in south aisle. 3 C19 marble tablets to north wall of chancel. Wall painting: C15, nave, north wall: pride and her 6 children, St. Christopher, 3 quick and 3 dead, over north doorway St. George; north aisle wall fragments of legend of St. Catherine. Chancel arch, angels with instruments of the passion. Stained glass: east window by Kempe 1907. 2 C20 windows in north aisle and one in south aisle with reset fragments of medieval glass in the apex.

{4} In the south chapel of this church are eight pieces of town armour and consisting of three incomplete suits. Dated c.1650.

{5} The wall paintings fill the spandrels of the north wall of the knave, and covers the two easternmost. The paintings depict the morality of the three living and the three dead, St Christopher, and Pride surrounded by the other deadly sins. It is possible that they were created by the same artist, and have been dated to c.1460. It is possible that the paintings were excecuted using the 'fresco secco' method. The paintings are well preserved and can be made out in their entirety.

{6} St Mary's Church, Raunds, is mainly of 13th century date, having developed from the 12th century building. It has aisles of 14th century and was much altered in the 15th century. Restored in 1874 and 1878.

{8} Description of the font.

{9} Large urban church of C12-C13 and C14 with important wall paintings. Restored C19. History of movement at the west end. Localised defects including poor rainwater disposal and flashings may have contributed. Some glass has been removed and set aside. The northwest corner of the north aisle has settled; local underpinning is required here and the south aisle requires tying. Monitoring suggests no
significant on-going movement. A Heritage Lottery Fund grant was awarded to develop a repair project and tender invitations have been issued. Historic England has provided technical advice.

{11} Undated photo, also three photos dated October 1978.

{13} This church is dedicated to St Peter [not St Mary as specified in source {6}].

{15} Much more medieval glass remained in the church in the early C18. Now there are only vestiges in two windows.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 6/103 (checked) (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, p.381 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Unknown, Armour and Arms in Churches, (checked) (Article). SNN103374.

<5> Edwards J., 1981, The Morality of The Three Living And The Three Dead: Medieval Wall Paintings at St Mary's Church, Raunds, p.147-149 (checked) (Article). SNN104587.

<6> Salzman L.F.(ed), 1937, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.29 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100371.

<7> WALLER J.G., 1877, On The Wall Paintings Discovered in The Churches of Raunds and Slapton, Northamptonshire, p.219-42 (unchecked) (Article). SNN108242.

<8> Romilley Allen J., 1889, Sculpture of the Norman and Transitional Periods in Northamptonshire, (checked) (Article). SNN108376.

<9> Historic England, 2016, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2016, p. 53 (Report). SNN110747.

<10> Historic England, 2017, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2017, p. 60 (Report). SNN111090.

<10> Historic England, 2018, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2018, p. 60 (Report). SNN111434.

<11> Photographs of buildings in Raunds (Photographs). SNN112980.

<12> Lee M., 2004, Henry Penn, Bellfounder, 1685-1729, p.41-53 (unchecked) (Article). SNN109357.

<13> Colquhoun, FD, 1969, Field investigators comments, F1 FDC 02-DEC-1969 (Notes). SNN112950.

<14> Historic England, Undated, St Peters Church, Raunds, BF107393 (Archive). SNN115794.

<15> Marks R., 1998, Stained Glass Of Northamptonshire, p. 165-166 (Book). SNN101533.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 1:13PM