Building record 491/3/1 - Church of St. Michael and All Angels

The church is mainly of 14th and 15th century date with 13th century origins. It was restored in the 19th century. Built of coursed squared ironstone, with red and grey sandstone dressings and some limestone, The roofs are of lead. The church consists of a chancel, nave, north and south aisles, south porch and west tower and spire

{1} Church. C14 and C15 with C13 origins, restored C19. Coursed squared ironstone, red and grey sandstone dressings, some limestone, lead roofs. Chancel, nave, north and south aisles, south porch and west tower and spire. 2-bay chancel has 5-light east window with intersecting tracery and hood mould, angle buttresses and between bays of red sandstone and 2-light windows with Decorated tracery north and south; priest's door to south with pointed head and sunk chamfer. Nave has clerestory with four 2-light Perpendicular windows north and south with straight heads and hood moulds and sanctus bellcote to east gable on corbels. North aisle has 3-light Perpendicular east window, larger 3-light Perpendicular window to north-east, a 3-light window to north-west with reticulated tracery and 2-light Perpendicular west window with depressed head. C19 vestry with gabled tiled roof and one-light window to north. North door within has C13 double-chamfered pointed arch with inner arch resting on moulded capitals and shafts; hood mould with saw-tooth ornament. South aisle has 3-light Perpendicular east window and similar window to south-east. 3-light windows either side of porch with C19 Decorated tracery and 3-light west window with reticulated tracery. South door has many-moulded arch with 2 orders of fleurons and hood mould. South porch dated 1619(?) has doorway with round-head arch on imposts with datestone above, and flanking buttresses. 3-stage tower has lowest stage open on 3 sides with double-chamfered arches with hood moulds and rib vault springing from corbel heads with edge ribs and large bell-hole; doors to nave and smaller door to south to stair turret. Middle stage has niche with nodding ogee head to west and narrow chamfered rectangular windows with straight heads north and south. 2-light bell-openings with cusped Y-tracery, battlemented parapet and recessed spire with 2 tiers of lucarnes in alternating directions. Clerestory, aisles and chancel have plain stone-coped parapets. Interior: chancel has piscina with cusped head and fine Perpendicular roof with moulded purlins and ridge. Chancel arch has 2 continuous sunk quadrant mouldings. Nave has 4-bay arcades; that to north with 2 quatrefoil piers of c.1300 (Pevsner); easternmost pier and those to south aisle C15 and octagonal with polygonal responds - north-east respond of angel bearing shield. Double-chamfered arches to north, hollow chamfered to south. Aisle roofs much renewed; north aisle roof probably C18. Box pews in aisles and at back of church date from re-pewing of 1826. Early C17 communion table. Commandment, Creed and Lords Prayer Boards. Communion rails with stick balusters. Royal Arms of Queen Anne over west dooor; oil on board. Brass to Letitia Catesby made at time of death of her husband Robert in 1467 placed on wall above pulpit. Wall monument in chancel of alabaster to Thomas Thornton d.1632 and C19 marble wall tablets to various owners of Newnham Hall. A Mr. Hussey, architect, was consulted in 1844 and paid 5 18s 6d, probably R.C. Hussey and responsible for Decorated tracery in north and south aisles. (Church Wardens Accounts; Buildings of England: Northants, p.312; A brief guide, Newnham Parish Church (no date).

{7} Undated photo, also photo dated December 1978.

{8} [Former list description] A Church of St. Michael
Stone, lower part of tower pink sandstone, lead roofs. The church consists of chancel, nave and aisles, south porch and west tower. The chancel is Decorated, much restored C19, and has sedilia and piscina in south wall. The nave is mainly Perpendicular with arcades of 4 bays with slender piers, the two west piers of North arcade of clustered columns. The south door is C14 restored. The chancel roof and roofs of aisles are C15 but the nave roof has been restored. In the aisles and at end of the nave are C18 box pews and over the west door are the Royal Arms of Queen Anne. The west tower has 3 stages of which the lowest is open on three sides to form a porch to the W. door, with vaulted ceiling. The tower has battlemented parapet and octagonal stone spire with weather vane. On the south-east corner is a stair turret. At the east end of the nave roof is a small sanctus belloce. There are monuments to the Thornton family including one on the north wall of the chancel to Thomas Thornton, 1632, and Elizabeth, his wife, 1604.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 15/139 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F06 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN44900.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.312-13 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.22-23 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<5> Baker G., 1830, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.259-61 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77327.

<6> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<7> Photographs of buildings in Newnham (Photographs). SNN112905.

<8> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, Ministry of Housing and Local Government list, Daventry Rural District, 1957, p. 76 (Report). SNN112993.

<9> Historic England, Undated, St Michael and All Angels Church, Newnham, BF044020 (Archive). SNN115790.

<10> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<11> Marks R., 1998, Stained Glass Of Northamptonshire, p. 146-7 (Book). SNN101533.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 3:49PM