Building record 1995/1/1 - Church of All Saints, Mears Ashby

All Saints Church was built in the 12th to 14th centuries, the chancel and vestry were rebuilt 1859 by A Buckeridge. Built of regular coursed and squared coursed lias with ashlar dressings and lead and plain-tile roofs. The church consists of an aisled nave, chancel, west tower and south porch. The circular head of a Saxon cross was discovered during repairs in the 19th century

{1} Trench cut by the southern wall of the church to create soakaway; no archaeological features visible and the area immediately adjacent to wall had been previously disturbed by insertion of drain pipe.

{2} During repairs of the church the mutilated head of a cross of Saxon date was discovered, which is now preserved in the church. The cross is of Celtic form;

{4} Medieval church and churchyard. In 1883 during repair works the circular head of a Saxon cross was found and drawing(s) were made. It was interpreted as being possibly C10th Anglian in origin.Drawing of communion cup and font;

{6} Church. C12 to C14. Chancel and vestry rebuilt 1859 by A. Buckeridge. Regular coursed and squared coursed lias with ashlar dressings and lead and plain-tile roof. Aisled nave, chancel, west tower and south porch. South elevation of chancel of 2-window range of 2-light square-headed windows with carved label stops. Window to left has re-used C14 tracery. South door between windows has plain arch head. Steep pitched roof with ashlar gable parapets, kneelers and finial. C19 east window. North elevation of chancel is similar, of one-window range. Vestry attached to east of north aisle is similar to chancel and is of one bay with square-headed north door, and 3-light east window. South aisle of 3-window range of 2-light C13 windows with Y-tracery. 3-light C19 east window and 2-light square head C14 west window. Lean-to roof with plain ashlar parapet. Blocked tomb recess below centre window. C14 gabled porch to left of centre has pointed outer arch with octagonal responds and C12 semi-circular double stepped inner arch. North aisle of 3-window range of 2-light square-headed windows; similar west window. North door to right of centre has pointed arch head. Lean-to roof with ashlar gable parapets. Nave clerestory of 4-window range of C14 two-light square-headed windows. Shallow pitched roof with castellated parapet and 2 gargoyles to each side. Short west tower of 3 stages with 3-stage angle buttresses to lower stage. Upper stage has triple arcade to each face with double-chamfered pointed arches and blank centre opening flanked by bell-chamber openings. Corbel table above with castellated parapet and short octagonal pinnacles at corners. 2 rainwater heads on east face have inscriptions, "Will. Harris. Will. Farrow" and "1640". Interior: 4-bay nave arcade of double-chamfered arches with octagonal responds. C19 roof structure. Piscina in south aisle partly restored C19 also niche between windows. Remains of medieval wall painting over chancel arch depicting the"Doom". Saxon wheel head cross on south aisle window sill. C19 reredos to east end of chancel. C12 octagonal font with rosettes and interlace decoration. Stained glass: chancel east window by Clayton and Bell, south aisle east window c.1859 by A. Lusson. C19 and C20 stained glass to belfry window and 2 south aisle windows. Pre-reforaation alms box in nave. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.303).

{9} Romanesque features include the south doorways of the chancel and nave, as well as the font [detailed description of the decoration on the font]. The font may be related to the re-set W doorway at St Peter’s, Northampton, with which it shares motifs, although the Northampton work does not include the Anglo-Saxon style interlace panels. It is retooled, or even scrubbed, and suggests a date in the second half of the 12thc

{11} Undated photo, also two photos dated December 1978, also photo of Saxon Cross head dated December 1978;

{12} The broken head of a wheel cross is preserved inside the church. Anglian, prob 10th c. See photograph.

<1> TINGLE M., 1994, SMR REPORT FORM, (unchecked) (SMR Report Form). SNN49333.

<2> Romilly Allen, 1888, Associated Architectural Societies Reports, p.413 (unchecked) (Series). SNN3337.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP86NW9 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<4> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/186/2, 3 4 (Archive). SNN115.

<5> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<6> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 16/241 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<7> 1986, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G05 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN100394.

<8> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.303 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<9> King's College, London, 2017, A corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain and Ireland, Site 644 (Website). SNN110894.

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

<11> Photographs of buildings in Mears Ashby (Photographs). SNN112861.

<12> Historic England, Undated, MEARS ASHBY HALL, MEARS ASHBY, BF107371 (Archive). SNN115821.

<13> Baird, J., 1970, Field investigators comments, 19-JUN-70 (Notes). SNN110341.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 4:41PM