Building record 3124/5/1 - Church of St. Katharine

Church built in the late 12th century, with 13th and 14th century additions, restored in the 19th century. The building is of regular coursed limestone with ironstone and ashlar dressings, the tower is of banded limestine and ironstone ashlar, and the roofs are of lead. The church consists of a nave, chancel, south porch and west tower.

{1} Church. Late C12, C13 and C14. Regular coursed limestone with ironstone and ashlar dressings, tower is banded limestone and ironstone ashlar; lead roofs. Aisled nave, chancel, south porch and west tower. South elevation of chancel of 3-window range with one 2-light Perpendicular window to far right and two 3-light Perpendicular windows with 4-centred heads and carved label stops. South door between windows has trefoil head and carved label stops. All openings restored C19. Steep gabled roof with ashlar, cornice, gable parapets and finial. 5-light Perpendicular east window has 4-centred head and continuous shaft-surround. Blank north elevation to chancel. South aisle of 4 bays with 2-window range to right of C14 three-light square-headed windows with relieving arches above. Shallow gabled roof has castellated ashlar parapet and finial. 4-light Perpendicular east window and 2-light west window. C14 porch to left of centre has moulded outer arch flanked by pinnacles with niche above. 4-light square-headed side windows with transoms. Shallow gabled roof with castellated ashlar parapet, finial and 2 gargoyles. North elevation of north aisle and north chapel of 5-window range of C14 three-light square-headed windows. North door to right has shafts and roll mouldings. Shallow gabled roof has plain ashlar parapet with gargoyles. Similar 3-light west window and 4-light east window which has high sill and evidence of blocked openings below. Nave clerestory of 4-window range of 2-light windows with 4-centred heads. Decorated west tower of 3 stages with 2 half stages at base. 3-stage angle buttresses to lower 2 stages. West door has moulded surround, 2-light window above has carved label stops. Pairs of -light bell-chamber openings to each face of third stage. Corbel table with ashlar spire above having low broaches. 3 tiers of lucarnes. Interior: 4-bay nave arcade of double hollow-chamfered arches with octagonal piers. Late C12 responds at west end with leaf crockets in the capitals. Triple-chamfered chancel and tower arches. Chamfered and moulded arch from chancel to north chapel has polygonal cluster responds. C19 roof structures. Double piscina with trefoil heads in chancel has 2 square-headed openings adjacent. Oven for altar bread in north wall. Similar single piscina in south aisle. Tomb recess in north aisle. C13 octagonal font. Rood screen retains original base, the upper part is restored. Parclose screen to south chapel has linenfold panelling to base. C17 pulpit decorated with arcades and pairs of balusters at the corners. Bench ends have some original traceried panels. Jacobean bread cupboard with open balusters in north aisle. Parish chest in chancel. Monuments: brass to John Glynton died 1510 and wife, north aisle, south wall, female figure only remains. Thomas Jenison died 1681, double inscription flanked by Corinthian columns with pediment over. North wall of chancel, three C17 black floor tablets to Jenison family. Various early C19 marble tablets. Stained glass: fragments of medieval glass in 2 south aisle and one south chancel windows. Late C19 east window by Mayer and Co., and early C20 window in north aisle. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.265)

{7} Undated photo;

{8} Ground plan of church 1886-1889.

{11} The aisle windows of the church retained some figural and heraldic glass into the C18, including the royal arms in the north aisle east window and a head of Christ in the south aisle east window. Now all that survives are some fragments.

{12} Drawings, paintings, sketches and measurements regarding the church and items within;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 5/191 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1986, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G05 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN100394.

<3> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.180-81 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<4> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.265-66 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<5> The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.24-26 (unchecked) (Series). SNN10247.

<6> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, 41 p.39-41 (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<7> Photographs of buildings in Irchester (Photographs). SNN112806.

<8> Lambeth Palace Library, Incorporated Church Building Society Archive, ICBS09076 (Digital archive). SNN115761.

<9> Historic England, Undated, St Katharine's Church, Irchester, BF107345 (Archive). SNN115788.

<10> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<11> Marks R., 1998, Stained Glass Of Northamptonshire, p. 109-10 (Book). SNN101533.

<12> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/159/1-9,11,12,14,16,17,19,21,22 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 4:39PM