Building record 4156/3/1 - Church of St. Leonard

13th and 14th century, destroyed in Civil War but rebuilt 1650 and again in mid 19th century. Limestone and ironstone ashlar with lead and Colleyweston slate roofs. Nave with north aisle, chancel with north and south chapels and north tower.

{1} Church. C13 and C14, destroyed in Civil War but rebuilt 1650 and again in mid C19. Limestone and ironstone ashlar with lead and Colleyweston slate roofs. Nave with north aisle, chancel with north and south chapels and north tower. South chapel of 2 window range of C19 2-light square-head windows with arch-head lights. 3-light east window with C19 Y-tracery and 3-light square-head west window. Shallow gabled roof with ashlar parapet and finials. C19 three-light chancel east window with trefoils and quatrefoil. North vestry attached to north chapel of one window range with 4-light square-head window with arch lights. Lean-to roof with ashlar parapet. 2-light east window to north chapel. North tower attached to right of vestry of 2 stages. Square base with single-light north window and octagonal upper stage with single-light bell-chamber openings to alternate faces. Conical roof with stone slate covering. South elevation of nave of 3-window range of C19 three-light windows with cusp ng. 2-stage buttresses between shallow gabled roof with plain parapet. North aisle of 3-window range of C19 three-light windows with shallow segmental arches. Single stage buttresses between windows. West elevation has central C19 gabled projection with arch-head door opening with one order of shafts and foliated capitals. C19 circular window above door is made up of 5 trefoils. Lean-to north aisle to left has one 2-light window. Chancel and north chapel have steeply pitched slate roofs. In erior: 3-bay north arcade to nave of C19 double chamfered and hollowed arches on octagonal piers. C19 double chamfered and hollowed chancel and north chapel arches. Arched opening with plain responds to south chapel. C19 roof structures. Jacobean pulpit with arcade decoration and panelled back. C19 vestry screen, altar reredos and pews. C19 stained glass to all windows, that to north aisle is by Kempe and to south by Hedgeland 1853. C18 style wrought iron communion rail. Font dated 1669 in he form of a crude capital has C17 moulded dado adjacent, similar to pulpit. Monuments: south chapel; Sir Edward Watson died 1713 by William Palmer, standing figure on plinth with flowing drapery flanked by Corinthian pilasters surmounted by draped urns and armorial cartouche. West wall; Lady Arabella Oxenden died 1734; free standing figure on plinth with draped clothing. South wall; Lady Grace Sondes died 1777, large tablet with circular panel with moulded stone surround and moulded cornic . South wall right; Lewis Watson, Lord Sondes died 1795, tablet, surmounted by draped urn. South wall left; Lewis Thomas, Lord Sondes died 1804 and wife, similar with draped urn. Mary Elizabeth Sondes died 1818. South wall above right, inscribed tablet with urn and draped figure above. Various other C19 and C20 tablets to Watson family.

{8} Church, of C13 origin. Rebuilt in 1660-70 after it was destroyed in the Civil War and then restored in the C19. The church has suffered from structural movement and a more dramatic shift occurred in 2014. It is thought that the ground drainage system has collapsed. External defects to roof coverings and valley gutters, combined with defective rainwater goods, have led to water penetration internally
and damage to the plasterwork. A Listed Places of Worship Roof Repairs grant was offered in 2016 which will address some of the work needed.

{11} Undated photo;

{12} The church at Rockingham was possibly first built as a chapel to the castle and the advowson lay in the hands of the crown. The chapel was certainly in existence by the second half of the 12th century and although still described as a chapel in 1295 by the 13th century it was already being treated by the bishop as an ordinary rectory.
The church itself was demolished in the Civil War as part of the clearance of the southern end of the town to provide a clear field of fire from the garrison defences. The church was rebuilt soon after the war and again extensively rebuilt and extended in mid 19th century. This post Civil War building appears to have been built largely on the medieval position.

{17} Rockingham Church retains some Norman and Decorated work, but was rebuilt about 1670, and again in the 19th century.

{18} Church still in use for ecclesiastical purposes.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 12/141 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1992, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), K06 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN46686.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.388-9 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> DRAWINGS, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN55219.

<5> 1992, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), K06 p.61 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN46686.

<6> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches, (unchecked) (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<7> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.335-37 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<8> Historic England, 2016, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2016, p. 48 (Report). SNN110747.

<9> Historic England, 2017, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2017, p. 55 (Report). SNN111090.

<10> Historic England, 2018, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2018, p. 55 (Report). SNN111434.

<11> Photographs of buildings in Rockingham (Photographs). SNN113046.

<12> FOARD G., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Rockingham (Medieval and Post Medieval), (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN100473.

<13> 1615, Map of Rockingham 1615, (unchecked) (Map). SNN100477.

<14> Eagle J., 1806, Map of The Estates of The Right Honourable Lewis Richard, Lord Sondes at Rockingham, Cottingham, (unchecked) (Map). SNN100475.

<15> Bloxham M.H., 1878, On The Medieval Sepulchral Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.258 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN107097.

<16> Ordnance Survey Map (Scale/date), OS 6" 1958 (Map). SNN112944.

<17> Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological Society, Vol 4, 1878, p. 103-4 (Bigge, Rev H J) (Journal). SNN113080.

<18> Harper, F R, 1961, Field investigators comments, F1 FRH 30-AUG-1961 (Notes). SNN113016.

<19> Historic England, Undated, St Leonards Church, Rockingham, BF107398 (Archive). SNN113081.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 4:10PM