Building record 3320/1/1 - Church of St. Mary Magdalene

Church built in the 14th century with 15th century additions, restored in 1869 by G E Street. Built of coursed limestone rubble, with lead and copper roofs. The church consists of a chancel, north chancel chapel, aisled nave, north and south porches and west tower.

{4} Church. C14 and C15 with older origins. Restored 1869 by G.E. Street. Coursed limestone rubble, lead and copper roofs. Chancel, north chancel chapel, aisled nave, north and south porches and west tower. 3-bay chancel has 5-light east window with 4-centred head and Perpendicular tracery and similar 3-light windows to south, all with hood moulds. Chamfered priest's door to south with 4-centred head, old plank door and hood mould with label stops, and off-set angle buttresses. North chancel chapel of 1 bay continues north aisle with 3-light east window with curvilinear tracery, similar window to west end of aisle, and 3-light windows to north with reticulated tracery, all with hood moulds. Many-moulded north doorway with ridged plank door, in 2-storey porch with re-set late Norman/Transitional doorway with 3 orders of shafts, stylized leaf capitals, and round-headed arch with hollow-chamfer decorated with dog-tooth lozenges and zigzag. South aisle has 3-light windows with Perpendicular tracery and hood moulds with label stops. Double hollow-chamfered south door with ridged plank door, in porch with similar doorway. Ogee-arched cinquefoil-headed niche above doorway with hood mould and 2-light windows to east and west sides with straight heads and hood moulds with label stops. Tower has 3 stages and double-hollow-chamfered and roll-moulded west doorway, studded double-leaf doors, quatrefoils to spandrels, and moulded rectangular stone surround and hood mould. 3-light window above with Perpendicular tracery and hood mould. Large polygonal stone clock-faces to north and west, small 1-light window to south and 2-light bell-chamber openings. Diagonal offset buttresses, battlemented parapet and ogee lead roof with weathervane to apex. Body of church has plain stone-coped parapets. Interior: chancel has C19 stone reredos with blank arcading and cinquefoil-headed ogee-arched piscina with stone shelf. Double-chamfered chancel arch with polygonal responds, similar arch to north chancel chapel. Nave has 3-bay arcades with octagonal piers, moulded bases and capitals and double-chamfered arches. Ogee-headed niche in south aisle from Grendon church, and ogee-arched piscina. South-aisle has restored C15 roof with moulded cambered ties and stop-moulded rafters. Otherwise C19 roofs of good quality especially that to nave. Plain, octagonal font. C17 hexagonal pulpit on stem with decorative panelling to sides and elaborate tester with openwork cupola and group of finials. Screen round vestry in south aisle is made up of sections of the original readers desk and has similar panelling. Complete set of tiled floors by Minton to designs by Lord Alwyne Compton. Stain-glass east window to north chapel by Lady Marian Alford, before 1888. Fine late C19 stain-glass windows to chancel. Monuments: effigy in Purbeck marble of cross-legged knight on tapering coffin lid. Said to be Sir David de Esseby who died before 1268. Brass to William Ermyn, rector, d.1401; almost life-size and with small figures of saints on the orphreys. Monument to lst Marquis of Northampton d.1827 by E. Blore in form of low reredos to north chapel with central foiled recess framing inscription panel flanked by blank arches with Decorated tracery. Wall monument to Margaret wife of 2nd Marquis who died 1830 signed Pietro Tenerani di Carrara/Facem in Roma Nel 1836. Grecian-style, of Carrara marble, with relief of Charity, and surmounted by bust set against scallop with lush acanthus decoration. Monument to Spencer 2nd Marquis, d.1851 at west end of nave; over life-size seated angel with the trumpet of the Last Judgement on his lap-Carrare marble, on veined grey marble plinth on base of granite and black marble. Inscription to plinth. By Tenerani. Tomb recess with monument to Lady Margaret Leveson-Gower designed by Gillet of Leicester/framing recumbant effigy by Marochetti with angel in shallow relief behind, both in statuary marble. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: 1973, ppl37-138; VCH: Northamptonshire: Vol IV, p233)

{8} The rector during 1852-78 was the high churchman and antiquarian Lord Alwyne Compton, son of the second marquess of Northampton. The church, which was restored in 1870 by G E Street, has Minton tiles designed by Lord Alwyne Compton, whose skill in the design of tile arrangements was admired by Sir George Gilbert Scott.

{9} The medieval church of St Mary Magdalen (listed grade I), 100m south-east of the house, is an important part of the overall architectural composition of the garden landscape.

{10} Medieval church built in the C14 and C15, restored in 1869 by GE Street. The church lies within the grounds of Castle Ashby Park and the north and west sides of the church are not accessible from public rights of way. The church appears generally well- maintained but there are areas of weathered stonework, notably on the chancel and porch and some damp plaster work internally in the south aisle. The south aisle roof covering is failing and requires replacement.

{13} Undated photo;

{14} Engraving of church.

{16} [Former list description] A. Church of St. Mary Magdalene
The church of coursed limestone with lead roofs, consists of chancel, N. chapel, nave with arcades of 3 bays and clerestory, aisles, N. and S. porches and W. tower. S. porch has ironstone dressings, nave and aisles have plain parapets. N. porch is Transitional and Early English with parvise, deeply recessed lancet windows and old door to nave. The remainder of the church is mainly Decorated and Perpendicular, restored in 1870 by G. E.
Street.
The W. tower tapers and has 3 tall stages, diagonal buttresses, battlemented parapet and ogee domed cupola with weather vane on apex. In the chancel is a fine brass to a priest c.1400. The elaborate pulpit is early C.17.
In north chapel - effigy of Knight in chain armour of Purbeck marble. Believed to be Sir David de Esseby (1265).

Historic England, Undated, St Mary Magdalene's Church, Castle Ashby, BF107263 (Archive). SNN116056.

<1> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.345-46 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<2> Baker G., 1822-36, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN10400.

<3> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, 40 p.14-15 (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<4> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 13/25 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<5> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F12 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<6> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.137-38 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<7> Salzman L.F.(ed), 1937, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.233 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100371.

<8> Pearson L., 2003, Gazeteer of British Tile and Architectural Ceramic Sites: County Draft, Northamptonshire, p.2 (unchecked) (Gazetteer). SNN103233.

<9> English Heritage, 1994, Register of Parks & Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England (1994, Northamptonshire), (unchecked) (Report). SNN1324.

<10> Historic England, 2016, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2016, p. 55 (Report). SNN110747.

<11> Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society, 2011, TACS (Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society) Location Database (Gazetteer). SNN107648.

<12> Historic England, 2017, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2017, p. 62 (Report). SNN111090.

<12> Historic England, 2018, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2018, p. 62 (Report). SNN111434.

<13> Photographs of buildings in Castle Ashby (Photographs). SNN111838.

<14> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/56/1 (Archive). SNN115.

<15> Bloxham M.H., 1878, On The Medieval Sepulchral Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.247-8 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN107097.

<16> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, DOE (HHR) District of Northampton Rural District, May 1961, p. 14 (Report). SNN112993.

<17> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, District of South Northamptonshire, 06/09/1988 (Report). SNN112993.

<18> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 158-9 (Book). SNN111989.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 4:17PM