Building record 3523/1/1 - Church of St. Mary

Church built in the mid 12th-14th century, restored in the 19th century. Built of squared coursed and regular coursed limestone, with ironstone dressings and limestone and lias ashlar to the west tower, the roofs are of lead and slate. The church consists of an aisled nave, chancel, west tower and south porch.

{1} Home Guard mounted firewatchers on the church tower.

{3} Church. Mid C12 to C14, restored C19. Squared coursed and regular coursed limestone with ironstone dressings and west tower of limestone and lias ashlar; and with lead and slate roofs. Aisled nave, chancel, west tower and south porch. South elevation of chancel of 3-window range of C14 two- and 3-light square-headed windows, that to left has a transom and low sill. South door to left of centre. Gabled roof with ashlar parapet and finial. C19 four-light east window in Perpendicular style, has label stops of earlier opening. North elevation of chancel of 2-window range of C14 two-light square headed windows with blank centre bay. Window to right has low sill to one light. South aisle of 3-window range of 3-light windows; centre window has 4-centred head and those flanking have square heads. 3-light east and west windows. Lean-to roof with castellated ashlar parapet. Gabled porch to far left has square finial with sundial. Double chamfered outer arch and late C12 inner door opening with one order of shafts, a thick roll moulding and flat faces of arch decorated with saltire crosses and palmette leaves. North aisle of 3-window range with 2-light square headed windows to far left. 3-light window with 4-centred head to left of centre and double lancet to right of centre. Transitional north door opening to far right has double-stepped pointed arch. 3-light east and west windows. Lean-to roof with plain ashlar parapet. Nave clerestory of 3-window range of 2-light square headed windows. Shallow gabled roof with castellated ashlar parapet. Perpendicular west tower of 5 stages with 4-stage clasping buttresses at corners terminating in panelled corner pinnacles. Lower 2 stages are banded limestone and lias. West door opening has decorated spandrels and ribbed door with tracery decoration. Large 3-light Perpendicular window above has 2 small quatrefoils to right. Square panel at base of third stage has 4-petal flower tracery. Tall 2-light bell-chamber openings, with transoms, to each face of upper 2 stages. Gargoyles at corners and castellated parapet. Clock on south face has date 1862. Interior: 4-bay nave arcades. The 2 western bays on either side are C12 plain round arches with circular piers having scallops and circular abaci. The 2 eastern bays are double-chamfered Decorated arches with polygonal piers. Double-chamfered chancel arch on carved brackets and double-chamfered tower arch with polygonal responds. Triple sedilia with crocketed head in chancel also Easter Sepulchre. Trefoil head piscina in south aisle. C19 roof structures. C19 furnishings and font. 3 Compton family hatchments in north aisle. Monuments: 3 brasses in nave are two C15 knights with lady between. Plain inscribed tablet to Thomas Willoughby died 1682, north wall of chancel. C19 stained glass east window probably by Kempe, aisle windows in geometrical patterns. Late C17 clock mechanism in north aisle. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.240).

{5} The limited excavation within the church tower did reveal a hard clay deposit which may have been an earlier floor. The robbed foundations of the west wall of the tower were revealed beneath what appears to be an original west doorway. A single medieval sherd from the rim of a pouring lip of a jug was recovered. The sherd was made from shell tempered fabric dating poosibly to the 13/14th centuries.

{7} Undated photo;

{14} Drawings dated 1840;

<1> Northamptonshire Women's Institute, 1992, Northamptonshire Within Living Memory, p.190 (unchecked) (Chapter). SNN39673.

<2> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.240-41 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<3> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 23/153 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<4> 1986, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G05 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN100394.

<5> Ivens R.J., 2001, Archaeological Recording Action at The Church of St Mary, Grendon, The Recording Action (Report). SNN102444.

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

<7> Photographs of buildings in Grendon (Photographs). SNN111740.

<8> DRAWINGS, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN57745.

<9> Cadman G., 2014, 20th Century Military Archaeology in Northamptonshire: Logs 1, 2 & 3, p.12 (unchecked) (Report). SNN104868.

<10> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.357-58 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<11> The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.250-52 (unchecked) (Series). SNN10247.

<12> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<13> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 306-7 (Book). SNN111989.

<14> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/127/1-3, 5-6 (Archive). SNN115.

<15> Historic England, Undated, St Mary's Church, Grendon, BF107328 (Archive). SNN116052.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 4:39PM