Building record 445/1/1 - St. Margaret's Church

Church built in the 14th-15th century, incorporating some 12th century work, restored in 1840 by R C Hussey. Built of coursed ironstone and limestone rubble, with coursed squared ironstone and sandstone to the tower, the roofs are of tile and lead. The church consists of a chancel and north sacristy, aisled nave and south porch, and a west tower.

{1} Church. C14-C15, incorporating C12 work, restored in 1840 by R.C. Hussey. Coursed ironstone and limestone rubble, coursed squared ironstone and sandstone tower, tile and lead roofs. Chancel and north sacristy, aisled nave and south porch, west tower. 5-light window with flowing tracery in east wall of chancel, two 4-light windows with flowing tracery in north wall and priests doorway with crocketed ogee hood in south wall flanked by 4-light windows with flowing tracery. Circular low-side window (blocked) to left bay. 5-light east window to south aisle has tracery with a large roundel framed by mouchettes. Windows to south aisle east of porch, all 3-light with cinquefoil motif in the tracery. 3-light window with Reticulated tracery west of porch and 3-light west window with cinquefoil tracery. Perpendicular south porch has arch with continuous hollow mouldings. C19 inner doorway with 7-panel door. West tower of 3 stages with broach spire and gabled lucarnes with ball-flower decoration. C19 west window to north aisle. C14 three-light window with Intersecting tracery to west of north doorway. C14 north doorway has arch with continuous mouldings. Three 3-light windows with flowing tracery to east, 4-light east window with mouchette tracery and hood with large head stops. Interior: 5-bay nave arcades. The south arcade incorporates Early English work and has responds with stiff leaf capitals to the west. The two octagonal east piers and the double-chamfered arches are Decorated. Similar octagonal piers and double chamfered arches to north arcade. Perpendicular clerestory and roof to nave. Decorated sedilia and piscina in the chancel, with crocketed ogee canopies. Doorway to sacristy has crocketed ogee arch with large head stops. The chancel windows have double label stops carved with figures, exotic beasts and foliage. The shield on label stop of south-west window has coat of arms of Thomas de Astley. The chancel arch has large head stops of a bishop and a king. Stone corbels to nave roof include reused C12 beasts' heads. Romanesque sandstone font, the base formed by three crouching figures supporting a circular bawl carved all over with bead decoration. Stone effigy of a woman c.1300, badly eroded, fragments of Flemish C16 stained glass in north aisle window. Reused Jacobean panelling in the aisles. The organ was built for the Chapel Royal at St. James's Palace in 1829, and not proving satisfactory it was later sold and installed here. Parson's Hutch, in the south aisle, a sentry box like structure formerly used to shelter the parson at funerals, probably C18-C19, The Church is said to have been remodelled for Sir Thomas de Astley in C14.

{8} Undated photo.

{11} [Former list description] A stone church consisting of chancel, nave and clerestory, aisles, S. porch and W. tower. The W. tower of 3 stages with stone broach spire, has diagonal buttresses at the lower stages. The top stage has splayed angles with ball-flower ornament and a corbel table. The nave has arcades of 5 bays with piers of pink Warwickshire sandstone, the two W. piers of the S. arcade are Transitional with caps of carved foliage, and the east pier of this arcade has a similar cap. The Perpendicular clerestory has 7 windows on the south side and 4 on the north. The restored roof supported on stone corbels is also Perpendicular.
The chancel is Decorated with four large side windows, the arches of which are supported on sandstone grotesque corbels. The sedilia and piscina are also Decorated. The aisles have early C.17 pew ends used as wainscoating against the walls. One window in the N. aisle has some old glass.
The Norman bowl of the font is supported on three figures said to be Saxon. The organ with Royal arms over was originally built in 1829 for the Chapel Royal, St. James.

{14} Notes on the Astley family;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 11/115 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

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

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.169-70 (checked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, 41 p.53-56 (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<5> The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN10247.

<6> Baker G., 1822-36, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN10400.

<7> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.560-2 (unchecked) (Book). SNN100366.

<8> Photographs of buildings in Crick (Photographs). SNN111613.

<9> Ordnance Survey Map (Scale/date), OS 6" 1955 (Map). SNN112944.

<10> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, Minstry of Housing and Local Government, 1957, p. 35-6 (Report). SNN112993.

<11> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, DOE(HHR) District of Daventry Rural District, February 1964. p. 35 (Report). SNN112993.

<12> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, District of Daventry, 11/03/1987 p. 47 (Report). SNN112993.

<13> Historic England, Undated, St Margaret's Church, Crick, BF107288 (Archive). SNN113554.

<14> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/80/1 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 4:05PM