Building record 400/2/3 - Church of St. Mary the Virgin

Mainly 14th century church with later additions and alterations. The church was restored in 1880 by E F Law. It comprises a chancel, nave with clerestory, aisles, south porch and west tower. The tower was rebuilt in 1709 after the spire fell. The church is built of uncoursed ironstone rubble, ironstone ashlar and coursed squared ironstone with limestone and sandstone dressings. The roofs are of lead and copper.

{1} Church. C14 and C15, tower rebuilt 1709. Restored 1880 by office of E.F. Law. Uncoursed ironstone rubble, ironstone ashlar and coursed squared ironstone with limestone and sandstone dressings. Lead and copper roofs. Chancel, organ chamber, nave, north and south aisles, west tower. Chancel has east window of 3 lights with cusped intersecting tracery, a 2-light window to north with Y-tracery., 2 similar windows with cusped Y-tracery to south and small hollow-chamfered priest's door. Organ chamber to north-west end of chancel continues north aisle and has 1-light east window and re-used 2-light window to north with cusped Y-tracery. Nave has impressive clerestory with continuous row of 10 2-light Perpendicular windows with straight heads to both north and south; 2 early C18 lead rainwater heads and pipes to north and south. North aisle has 2-light Decorated window to east of blocked double-chamfered north door, a 2-light window with cusped Y-tracery to west. South aisle has 3-light Decorated east window and to south a 4-light window with reticulated tracery to east of porch, a 3-light window with straight head and reticulated tracery to west. South door has chamfered pointed arch. South porch has diagonal buttress, 1-light windows north and south, moulded door with 4-centred head and stone coped gable with kneelers. West tower of 3 stages has 2-light C19 west window, south door with round-headed arch with imposts and keyblock, a circular window with keyblocks and similar windows at higher level. Bell chamber openings with coupled round-arched windows with keyblocks and flat Y-tracery, a battlemented parapet and obelisk pinnacles with ball finials and gilded weathervanes. Chamfered plinth. Angle buttresses as far as belfry stage, limestone pilaster buttresses above. Interior: chancel has 2-seat sedilia with hollow-chamfered arches and hood moulds resting on shafts with capitals and piscina with cusped arch on responds. Early C18 communion rail with turned balusters. Matching communion table in vestry behind organ. Double-chamfered chancel arch. Nave has 5-bay arcades with octagonal piers and capitals and double-chamfered arches. Capitals of half-columns to east and west ends of north aisle have ball-flower ornament and that to east has inset piscina with nodding ogee head. Aumbry at north-east of north aisle. C19 tower arch. C19 tie beam roof to chancel; nave roof mostly C19 with moulded tie-beams but some timbers and moulded wall plate possible . Aisles have lean-to roofs with ties, some stop-chamfered, others moulded and probably early C16. Other timbers mostly renewed C19. C19 stained glass in chancel and south aisle and west tower. C15 stained glass shields with arms of Abbots of Evesham and Royal arms and inscription formerly in north clerestory, now in north aisle window. Octagonal Jacobean pulpit. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.100; Parish Records; Northants Record Office; Kellys Directory 1903).

{5}Excavation revealed mortared stone foundation of porch; main foundation forms part of west wall, rectangular buttress set at 45 degrees to main foundation. Wall foundations indicate that porch was built asymmetrically. Floor level of porch believed to be at present ground level so that entry into north aisle was by a step.

{7}Footings of former north porch found intact during excavations prior to proposed extension of church.

{8} Archaeological observation was undertaken during work to improve access, seating areas and heating system which involved the removal of some of the late 19th century pews, their platforms and the relocation of the font. There had been much brick renovation undertaken during the late Victorian period, although surviving medieval stonework was noted below two of the pier bases. The stonework suggests the remains of a wall or foundation aligned east-west; possibly an earlier nave wall or associated with a former chapel dedicated to St Catherine, which was likely demolished during the reformation.

{10} Undated photo;

{11} Notes by Dryden during the restoration in 1880, also plan of church dated 1880 and drawings of stained glass etc dated 1881;

{12} Notes and drawings by Dryden dated 1881, plan, drawing and rubbings of screen;

{14} Medieval glass. The shields and inscriptions now in a nave north aisle window were suspended in the north clerestorey until 1982. They had been in the latter location since at least the early 18th century. Other shields were recorded in the early 17th century and more inscriptions were to be seen in the early 18th century.

{15} [Former list description] A. Church of St. Mary the Virgin. Stone with lead roofs. The church consists of chancel, nave with clerestory, aisles, south porch and west tower. The tower was rebuilt in 1701 after the spire fell. It has 2 stages, the lower of ironstone with corner buttresses and string over, the upper of ashlar limestone with pairs of belfry windows on each face, battlemented parapet and corner pinnacles with wrot iron weather vane on each. The remainder of the church is mainly Decorated, the clerestory and roofs Perpendicular. The nave arcades have 5 bays, mostly octagonal piers, the cap of the pier adjoining chancel arch to north has ball-floor ornament. Above the arcades is the late Perpendicular clerestory, a continuous range of 10 windows, each with central mullion and traceried heads. In the south aisle are two Decorated windows with curviliniar tracery.
The chancel has been much restored and contains double sedilia, & piscina. The pulpit is early C17, the altar rails early C18. In one of the clerestory windows on the north side is some old armorial glass. The church was restored in 1881 when all the plaster was removed, the tower arch filled with glazing and the
roof boarding renewed; the trusses in the nave and aisles appear to be original. On the exterior of the clerestory are some good early C18 cast lead rain water heads.

<1> Baker G., 1830, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.257 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77327.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 18/15 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

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

<2> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.20-22 (unchecked) (Book). SNN100366.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.100 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, (unchecked) (Series). SNN77383.

<5> Parry, S, 1995, An archaeological evaluation at St Mary's Church, Badby, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Report). SNN28532.

<6> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, 1 p.45-46 (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<7> NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGY, 1995, SMR REPORT FORM, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN49380.

<8> Morris, S., 2018, Archaeological observation, investigation and recording at the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Badby, Northamptonshire, January-March 2018 (Report). SNN111581.

<9> Crank, N. (Editor), 2019, South Midlands Archaeology (49), p. 72 (Journal). SNN111755.

<10> Photographs of buildings in Badby (Photographs). SNN111890.

<11> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/17/6-8 (Archive). SNN115.

<12> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/17/, 5, 10-12 (Archive). SNN115.

<13> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<14> Marks R., 1998, Stained Glass Of Northamptonshire, p. 14-15 (Book). SNN101533.

<15> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, DOE(HHR) District of Daventry Rural District, Febuary 1964 (Report). SNN112993.

<16> Historic England, Undated, St Mary the Virgin's Church, Badby, BF107241 (Archive). SNN115765.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 3:53PM