Building record 3884/22/1 - Church of St. Mary the Virgin

Church built between 1908 to 1930 by Sir Ninian Comper, in the Perpendicular Style. Ironstone ashlar with limestone dressings and lead roof. Aisled nave of eight bays, with a fine plaster lierne-vault with pendants, partly painted. Chancel, north and south chapels, north porch and west tower. All interior and exterior details are by Comper.

{1} Church. 1908 to 1930 by Sir Ninian Comper. Ironstone ashlar with limestone dressings and lead roof. Aisled navel chancel, north and south chapels, north porch and west tower. All in Perpendicular style. South elevation of chancel of
one-window range projecting has 3-light window. Chancel east window is a 6-light window with Reticulated tracery and statue niche above. South aisle of 8-window range of 3-light windows with 2-stage buttresses between and pinnacles above. Similar east window. Small octagonal spire at south-west corner. Lean-to roof with limestone parapet. 3 bays to east end of south aisle have 2-storey south chapel and parish hall attached; this is of 4-window range of 3- and 5-light first floor windows. East window has Intersecting tracery under 4-centred-arch head. Shallow gabled roof with castellated parapets. North elevation of chancel of one-window range projection similar to south elevation. Single-storey vestry projection of one-window range between chancel and north aisle has 5-light square-headed windows and 4-light north aisle window above. North chapel of 3- and 4-light windows with 3-stage gabled buttresses between. Similar elevation of one-window range to south return wall. Shallow gabled roof with castellated parapet. 2-storey porch to right of north chapel has Perpendicular style openings with first floor statue niche having ogee head and flanking square head windows. Quadripartite ceiling vault. 3-stage clasping buttresses if corners and shallow gable roof with plain parapet. Octagonal turret of 4 stages attached to right of porch has bellchamber openings to each face of upper stage and a castellated parapet. North aisle of 4-window range of 3-light windows with 3-stage gabled buttresses between. Similar 2-light west window with entrance below. Lean-to roof with castellated parapet and square pinnacles at corners. Nave clerestory of 9-window range of 4-light windows with short square pinnacles between. Shallow gable roof with plain parapet. West tower of 3 stages with large 4-stage clasping buttresses at corners. West entrance has pair of panelled doors under painted arch enclosing statue niche and flanking windows above. Large 3-light west window in second stage and 2-light bell-chamber openings to each face of third stage. Castellated parapet has panel decoration and square truncated pinnacles at corners. Interior: 8-bay arcade of 4-centred chamfered arches on tall octagonal piers with concave hollows. 2 bays to east form part of the chancel and 6 bays to west, the nave. Similar 3-bay arcade to north chapel and smaller, partially enclosed, 3-bay arcade to south chapel. Triple chamfered tower arch. Fine pendant vaulted wood and plaster nave and chancel roof, those sections to the east and west ends and above the chancel screen are painted in blue and gold. Panelled north aisle roof is painted at the east end. Similar sloping south aisle roof has pointed section adjacent to chancel screen. North chapel roof is panelled, and has bosses and angels all painted. Wrought iron and wood screens enclose the chancel arcade and the front of the chancel . The chancel screen is a triple outer arcade with corresponding pairs of inner arches in an early Renaissance style with Gothic decoration. Crucifix above is flanked by figures of St. Mary, St. John and angels with God the Father above. The screen has many painted and relief figures and is richly decorated in blue and gold. Gold fronted alter has baldacchino supported on 4 Corinthian colomns with figures above, all decorated with gold. Perpendicular style north chapel screen and organ case above north porch are all painted in blue and gold. Linking gallery between rood loft and organ loft is similar. Stained glass to chancel east window, north chapel east window and porch window. Several other windows have stained glass insets. Octagonal font with canopy is supported on 8 small Doric colomns painted blue and gold with with octagonal wooden enclosure around base. Panelled oak pulpit, pews and some wall panelling. Sir Ninian Comper was responsible for all the internal fittings and the financing of the work was largely due to the Misses Sharman of Wellingborough. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.435).

{5} St Mary's Church, Melton Road. St Mary's ecclesiastical parish was formed by Order in Council 12th December 1904 from the old parish of All Saints. Building was completed by 1924. Still in use as a church.

{7} Undated photo;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 5/115 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1986, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G04 p.50-51 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN100394.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.453 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Ellison, M., 2002, St. Mary's church, Wellingborough, (unchecked) (Slides). SNN106778.

<5> Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Wellingborough (Industrial), (checked) (Digital archive). SNN100290.

<6> Historic England, St Mary the Virgin's Church, Knox Road, Wellingborough, BF096623 (Archive). SNN115041.

<7> Photographs of buildings in Wellinborough (Photographs). SNN115387.

Record last edited

Aug 30 2023 2:15PM