Building record 1174/1/1 - Church of St. Guthlac

Church built in the 13th century, the top stage of the tower was rebuilt and the nave was re-roofed and repaired in 1621 following the collapse of the spire. The chancel was rebuilt in 1626, there were further repairs and alterations in 1775, and the church was restored in the 19th and 20th centuries. Built of coursed squared limestone, with limestone dressings and lead roofs.

{1} Church. C13, top stage of tower rebuilt, nave re-roofed and repaired 1621 following collapse of spire, chancel rebuilt 1626, further repairs and alterations 1775, restored C19 and C20. Coursed squared limestone, limestone dressings and lead roofs. Chancel has 4-light Perpendicular east window with hood mould and label stops and 2-light Perpendicular windows to north and south with hood moulds. Basket-arched priest's door to south with continuous hollow chamfer framed by small continuous wave-mouldings; hood mould. Tablet above door with small fluted Ionic pilasters supporting decorate frieze and moulded cornice and framing elaborate cartouche with arms of Sir Robert Banastre; base inscribed ROBERTUS BANASTREIUS MILES/QUID RETRIBUAM TIBI DOMINE PRO OMNIBUS/BENEFIIS MIHI DATIS ANNO DOMINI 1626/STULTE HAC NOCTE. Chancel has wave-moulded plinth continued across four off-set buttresses to each side, string courses at sill level, joining stops of hood moulds of windows and at base of plain parapet. Wagon roof of chancel is expressed externally in rounded profile of lead roof and semi-circular east gable. Finials to buttresses flanking east end. 3-bay nave has lancet windows to north and blocked north door all with hood moulds and 2-light windows to south with sex-foiled circles to heads and hood moulds. Blocked south door with large off-set buttress in front. Similar buttresses to east and west ends and chamfered plinth to south side only; battlemented parapet. 3-stage west tower has west door with continuous double roll mouldings the outermost with fillet, 6-panel C18 door and hood mould. 3 niches above with later (C14) chamfered cinqfoiled ogee heads and hood moulds. Cusped 1-light windows to north and south of middle stage with hood moulds, paired lancet bell-chamber openings and plain parapet with corner pinnacles. Diagonal off-set buttresses. Interior: single-stepped doorway from vestibule in tower to body of church with C18 6-panel double-leaf doors and HL hinges. Stone-flagged floor to nave and chancel. 3-bay wagon roof to chancel with carved pendant bosses. Double-chamfered chancel arch with polygonal responds and moulded capitals. Lancet-headed opening to south side of chancel arch, blocked at east end, has sunk quadrant moulding to surround. Nave has 4-bay arch-braced tie beam roof supported by wall-posts on carved head corbels, except for middle corbel south side which is larger and inscribed SRB/1621. Decorative carving to wall-plate and cusping to principals. Stalls in chancel dated 1628 with ogee-arched panels to west side of stalls within chancel arch, possibly part of former rood screen, and to stall fronts with strapwork frieze to south side, frieze to north side with sea-horses, Banastre arms and shield inscribed B/RM/1628. Stalls have misericords with, from north-east, a mask, arms upheld by angels, an ox, male head with asses ears, a goat, head, winged cherub's head, a lion, a cat's head, the Lamb, a female head and a griffin. Shallow scalloped round-arched niches behind stalls formerly filled by effigies of Apostles and St. Paul, of which bases inscribed with their Latin names remain. West gallery composed of Sir Robert Banastre's former chancel screen with fluted Ionic pillars on high bases and frieze carved with cartouches of arms. Those to centre and either end upheld by kneeling cherubs, those either side held by mermaids and mermen with winged horses trampling dragons either side. Charities recorded on gallery front. Hanoverian Royal arms to central panel, painted on cast metal. Wall-paintings in chancel above stalls, part of original scheme, restored 1962-6. Large figures of prophets to north wall, Evangelists to south wall, Nicodemus to one side of east window, Joseph of Arimathea to other side, all in shell-arched niches divided by pilasters. Pulpit with back panel and tester probably made up from Jacobean pieces c.1800. Panelled box pews. C17/C18 stain glass figures to north nave and chancel windows probably continental, canopies of c.1350. Monuments: wall monument to Sir Robert Banastre d.1649 with demi-figure in oval niche surrounded by wreath, apron with inscription, volutes with garlands and steep broken pediment framing cartouche of arms. Marble wall monument to Reverend Richard Forester, d.1769 with curly bracket and cartouche with inscription topped by coat of arms; erected by his eldest brother Pulter. 2 early C19 wall monuments to later rectors.(Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: 1973, pp369-70; Wolverton Historical Journal for 1966 and 1968; O.F. Brown and G.J. Roberts; Passenham; 1973, Apendix 3)

{4} The Chuuch is an unusual building with a number of outstanding features. It is characterised by a simple, aisleless plan that has been substantially unaltered since the 13th century. The Chancel of 1626 has a unique decorative scheme restored in 1956. The nave is 13th century with renewed windows in the south wall (19th century). A piscina in the north wall close to the chancel arch probably indicates the location of a former side altar.

{6} Features discovered during the 1968 restoration of the nave at Passenham.

{7} Detailed survey of church building carried out by RCHME. Photocopy of original survey, which is held in NMR. Includes phasing plans, description, documentary survey and photographs.

{12} Updates previous survey carried out by Hugh Richmond for RCHME.

{15} Two undated photos, also two photos dated 29.10.1993.

{16} The church at Passenham has much later C13th work surviving the considerable alterations of 1626.

{19} A nineteenth century furnace base was discovered in Trench 1, on the North side of the nave, together with a thirteenth century buttress foundation and a thirteenth century deposit containing disturbed human remains. Trench 2, to the south of the nave, proved to have been substantially disturbed by post-medieval burials and levelling works, though the construction trench of the south nave wall did survive intact. The existing drains were traced and found to terminate in soak-aways 2.8m east of the chancel.

{23} The medieval glass is in a chancel window and a nave window and is French. No ancient glass is mentioned by either Bridges or Baker.

{24} Sketch and notes on coat of arms;

{25} Description of restoration of chancel and wall paintings.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 20/77 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F11 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.369-70 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Northamptonshire Archaeology, 1996, An Assessment of Archaeological Potential at St Guthlac's Church, Passenham, Northamptonshire, Section 3.0 (checked?) (Report). SNN102758.

<5> 1966, Wolverton Historical Journal, (unchecked) (Journal). SNN103140.

<6> Brown, O F, 1968, The Nave at Passenham, p. 36-42 (Article). SNN116692.

<7> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches, Old Stratford, Passenham, St Guthlac (unchecked) (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<8> Clarke G., 1850?, Passenham Church and Rectory, (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN103143.

<9> Flesher J., 1800?, Passenham Church?, (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN103144.

<10> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.306-8 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<11> Brown O.F.; Roberts G.J., 1973, Passenham, (unchecked) (Appendix). SNN105023.

<12> Barnwell P., 2004, The Whittlewood Project: Notes on The Medieval Churches, Passenham: St Guthlac (unchecked) (Report). SNN105022.

<13> Woodfield P., 2002?, The Church of St Guthlac, Passenham, Northamptonshire: Observations During Building Works, July 2002, (unchecked) (Report). SNN105024.

<14> Riden P.; Insley C., 2002, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN102540.

<15> Photographs of buildings in Old Stratford (Photographs). SNN112954.

<16> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, District of South Northamptonshire, 18/05/1988 (Report). SNN112993.

<17> 1591, Passenham Survey, (unchecked) (Map). SNN47356.

<18> NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGY UNIT, 1978, Graveyard Survey, St Guthlac's, Passenham, (unchecked) (Report). SNN101022.

<19> Ivens R.J., 2000, Archaeological Evaluation at The Church of St Guthlac, Passenham, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Report). SNN100713.

<20> Ivens R., 2002, Church of St Guthlac, Passenham, (unchecked) (SMR Report Form). SNN105539.

<21> Historic England, Undated, St Guthlac's Church, Passenham, Old Stratford, BF107379 (Archive). SNN115793.

<22> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<23> Marks R., 1998, Stained Glass Of Northamptonshire, p. 164 (Book). SNN101533.

<24> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/208/1 (Archive). SNN115.

<25> Brown, O F, 1967, The Chancel at Passenham, p. 34-40 (Article). SNN116693.

<26> Clive Rouse, E, 1959, Wall Paintings in Passenham Church, p. 2-3 (Article). SNN116694.

Record last edited

Jan 9 2025 1:14PM