Building record 485/1/1 - Church of St. Nicholas

A 13th century church, partly rebuilt during the 15th century and in 1763, restored in 1906. Built of squared, coursed lias and limestone with ashlar dressings and lead roofs. The church consists of an aisled nave, chancel and west tower.

{6} Church. C13 and C14. Squared coursed lias and limestone with ashlar dressings and lead roof. Aisled nave, chancel and west tower. Chancel: South elevation of one-window range with 2-light window under 4-centred arch. North elevation of 2-window range of 3-light windows under 4-centred arches. North door between windows. Ashlar gable parapet with central gargoyle. 3-light east window. Clasping buttresses at corners. Shallow pitched roof with ashlar gable parapet. South aisle of one-window range with square-headed window. South door to left of window has C14, double-chamfered pointed arch. C17 inscribed tablet below window only partially legible. 3-light square-headed east window and C19 two-light west window. Ashlar gable parapet has corbel table decorated with faces. Lean-to roof. The nave projects eastwards beyond the south aisle and has half a blocked arch with a single-light window below; also a clasping buttress at the corner. North aisle of 2-window range with 2-ligh window with roundel above to the left, and a single lancet to the right. 3-light east window under pointed arch and 3-light west window under 4-centred arch. C18 inscribed tablets attached to wall at either side of east window. Lean-to roof with ashlar gable parapets. North porch has timber framed gable with large curved timbers around the ribbed and studded door. Gabled roof with plain-tile covering. Nave clerestory of 3-window range to south and 2-window range to north, with 2-light square windows. Shallow-pitched roof with ashlar gable parapets. Perpendicular west tower of 4 stages. Shallow ashlar buttresses to lower 3 stages. 2-light west window to ground floor. Pairs of 2-light bellchamber openings to each face of fourth stage have transoms with cusping. Castellated ashlar parapet with large central gargoyles. Pinnacles at corners decorated with tracery and crockets. C20 boiler room to south of tower. Interior: Double-chamfered chancel arch. 3-bay nave arcade of pointed arches, those to south probably c.1300 with quatrefoil piers and those to north of mid C14 with octagonal piers. The east end of the south arcade is partially blocked by the return corner of the south aisle. Tall triple-chamfered tower arch. Nave and north aisle roofs contain original timbers. Double ogee-headed sedilia to right of altar. Monuments: South aisle, to Mark Brewater died 1612, a kneeling figure under a semi-circular arch flanked by plain pilasters with obelisks above. The nave floor has several C18 black inscribed tablets. Several C19 marble wall mounted tablets. Fragments of C17 panelling around the altar. C19 stained glass to the east window and some north and south aisle windows. Medieval stained glass to south east clerestory window. Font: Octagonal Perpendicular. Communion rail, Jacobean with turned balusters.

{9} Undated photo.

{11} [SP 69368593] St Nicholas's Church [T.U.]

{12} The oldest remaining portion of Marston Trussell Church is the west end of the south aisle, which is Decorated, the chancel and the north aisle being Perpendicular. The greater part of the south aisle is 17th century work. The tower arches are c.1210 the pillars being of the Early Decorated period.

{13} Marston Trussell Church dates back to the 13th century. The timber porch is possibly of the 14th century.

{14} The church of St. Nicholas has Early English portions. During the restoration of the church in 1906 a concealed thirteenth century window was found built in the wall of the south aisle.

{15} [Former list description] "Church of St Nicholas, Marston Trussell. Grade B. Dates from C13. All except south arcade restored or rebuilt C15; chancel rebuilt 1763. Good tower, sandstone with limestone dressing, and fine arch into the nave. South clerestory C13. North clerestory C15. Font C15. In the south aisle there is a good early C17 monument to Mr Mark Brewster, died in Moscow 1612. Good painted effigy. The north porch built of sandstone and limestone, has a heavily timbered doorway, a great lintel carved in a crude ogee arch. The roof is late C19 fishscale tiles".

{18} The fragments of medieval glass that are collected in the easternmost south clerestorey window in the nave were loctaed in several chancel windows in 1719.

{19} Drawing of chancel arch dated April 26th 1853, drawing of inscription on buttress of tower, sketch of effigy;

{20} Photo dated Aug/Sept 1964;

<1> A Short History of Marston Trussell and St Nicholas, (unchecked) (Book). SNN55745.

<2> DRAWINGS, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN56656.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.303 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.52-53 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

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

<6> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 1/39 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<7> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G03 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN44900.

<8> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches, (unchecked) (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<9> Photographs of buildings in Marston Trussell (Photographs). SNN112801.

<10> De Gray Birch W., 1891 (circa), Cartularium Saxonicum (AD 840-947), p.52-3 (unchecked) (Book). SNN54978.

<11> Ordnance Survey Map (Scale/date), OS 6" 1928-50 (Map). SNN112944.

<12> Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological Society, Vol 3, 1874, p. 174 (Rev G A Poole) (Journal). SNN113080.

<13> Northamptonshire County Magazine, Vol 2, 1929, p. 210 (Uncertain). SNN60225.

<14> Northamptonshire County Magazine, Vol 3, 1930, p. 288 (Uncertain). SNN60225.

<15> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, Ministry of Local Government and Planning Provisional List, August 1950, p. 31-2 (Report). SNN112993.

<16> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, District of Daventry, 20/11/1985 (Report). SNN112993.

<17> Historic England, St Nicholas' Church, Marston Trussell, BF107370 (Archive). SNN115482.

<18> Marks R., 1998, Stained Glass Of Northamptonshire, p. 143 (Book). SNN101533.

<19> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/183/2-4 (Archive). SNN115.

<20> Miss June Swann, 1960s- 70s, Miss June Swann Photographic Archive (Photographs). SNN116665.

Record last edited

Feb 12 2025 12:03PM