Building record 953/2/1 - Church of St Lawrence

Church of medieval origin restored 1862 by G.G. Scott and 1883-7 by W. Bassett-Smith when aisles of 1774 were gothicised. Built of coursed ironstone rubble and ashlar. The church consists of chancel, nave, aisles extending over first bay of chancel, north and south, south porch, west tower.

{1} Church. Medieval. Restored 1862 by G.G. Scott and 1883-7 by W. Bassett-Smith when aisles of 1774 were gothicised. Coursed ironstone rubble and ashlar. Chancel, nave, aisles extending over first bay of chancel, north and south, south porch, west tower. Chancel has 3-light Decorated windows to east end and north and south sides with C19 tracery. Blocked round-headed door at east end of south aisle. Nave has clerestory with C19 circular windows. Stone dated 1774 below second window from west end of north aisle. C18 lead rainwater heads and pipes. C19 south porch. Leaded roofs behind plain parapets. 3-stage battlemented west tower has shallow offset buttresses separated by shafts. Pointed arch top frieze, corner gargoyles. Small lancet window to south side of middle stage; lancet window to west end of ground floor above blocked doorway. Interior: chancel has piscina with cusped arch and 3 seat sedilia with C19 cusped heads. Double hollow-chamfered arches on north side of west bay of chancel, the inner arch resting on corbels with fleurons, formerly framing tomb, of which cut-off end survives on east side. Blocked window above. Double chamfered arch in corresponding bay on south side, the inner arch resting on polygonal responds, blocked square window above. Double-chamfered chancel arch, inner arch resting on polygonal responds. Nave arcades of four bays with double-chamfered arches on octagonal piers. East window by Evans Bros. of Shrewsbury commemorating Shropshire vicar d.1858. Parish chest. Monument to Cilena l'Anson Bradley, d.1726 aged 12 years: bust in square niche with draped round arch head supported on pilasters, draped apron with inscription and fringed edge, signed John Hunt, Northampton on base of bust - in north choir vestry. Other late C18 and early C19 wall monuments. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.296; Whellans' Directory of Northamptonshire, 1874; Kelly's Directory of Northamptonshire, 1890).

{3} There is no reference to a church or a priest at Buckby in 1086. It has been suggested that that originally Buckby was part of Watford parish, given the complex intermixing of the parochial boundaries of the two in Murcott and the late appearance of references to the church at Buckby. The first reference to a church is in 1204 when Saier de Quincy, Earl of Winchester, received the advowson of the church from the Prioress of the Holy Trinity in Markeyate. This was in return for confirmation of half of the tithes and land excepting the capital messuage, belonging to the said church, with one messuage situated to the south east of the church. The earliest fabric in the church similarly dates to the early 13th century, although there is some evidence of pre 13th century stages of construction. In 1305-6 Henry de Lacy granted the advowson of the church of Buckby to 13 scholars of a certain house in Oxford which was to be established by him but the house was apparently never founded.
Bridges states that there was a chantry chapel of unknown foundation within the church. The Chantry of the Blessed Mary the Virgin had been well endowed, for the chantry lands, still described as such in 1590, comprised 22 cottages, 1 croft, 1 messuage and 2 tenements with virgate land.

{4} Compilation of notes regarding St Lawrence Church, Long Buckby.

{8} Observation during drainage works around church. Excavations along North wall revealed foundations projecting from the general line of the church wall in two locations (see photographs). At the area between 4.0m and 9.5m from the NW corner butress the foundation appeared to be comprised of dressed stone to either side (east and west) and rubble infill inbetween. May have been evidence of former north door and porch. Analysis of church structure indicates that there may have been a path running north from the former door on church building.

{9} Removal of a decayed suspended timber floor at the west end of the south aisle revealed the crown of a c.1800 brick vault and alongside an inscribed slab. The slab may originally have been placed immediately over the vault. The vault was left undisturbed and the slab was mounted against the west wall.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 6/204 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F04 p.80 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN44900.

<2> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<3> FOARD G., 2000, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Long Buckby (Medieval + Post Medieval), (unchecked) (Report). SNN100746.

<4> Lilly R.G., 1983, Study Notes on The Parish Church of St Lawrence, Long Buckby, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN42418.

<5> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.547-8 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<6> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.296 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<7> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, v.42 ff.77-9 (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<8> Rumbold M., 1995, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN49350.

<9> Millwood Gotch Pearson & Kightley, 1983, Correspondence, (checked) (Letter). SNN57407.

<10> Flesher J., 1800?, Long Buckby, (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN103290.

<11> Clarke G., 1850?, Long Buckby Church, (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN103291.

<12> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches, (unchecked) (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<13> Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society, 2011, TACS (Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society) Location Database, (unchecked) (Gazetteer). SNN107648.

<14> Historic England, Undated, St Lawrence's Church, Long Buckby, BF107363 (Archive). SNN115721.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 4:03PM