Building record 2023/2/1 - Church of St. Peter and Paul, Sywell

12th-14th centuries, chancel rebuilt 1862, south aisle and north chapel rebuilt and tower heightened 1870 by J. Maners. Regular coursed and squared coursed lias and ashlar with plain-tile and lead roof. Nave, chancel, south aisle, north chapel, south porch and west tower.

{1} Church. C12, C13 and C14, chancel rebuilt 1862, south aisle and north chapel rebuilt and tower heightened 1870 by J. Maners. Regular coursed and squared coursed lias and ashlar with plain-tile and lead roof. Nave, chancel, south aisle, north chapel, south porch and west tower. South elevation of chancel of one window range with 2-light window and door to left having moulded label stops. Gable roof with ashlar parapets, finials and kneelers. 3-light east window has intersecting tracery. North elevation of chancel of one blank bay with inscribed tablet, "Rebuilt 1862 Rev'd R. Baillie Rector". North vestry projection has 2-light east window. South aisle of 3-window range of 2-light windows with cusped tracery. 3-light east and west windows. Lean-to roof with ashlar parapets. Gabled porch with finial to left of centre has double-chamfered opening with octagonal responds. Inner door is probably late C12 masonry reset in C19. North transept has 3-light north window and gabled roof with ashlar gable parapets and finial. North elevation of nave has one C14 four-light square head window with arch head lights, north door to right. Nave clerestory to south of 3-window range of C19 two-light windows. Ashlar parapets and shallow gabled roof. C13 west tower has aisle abutting to the south and is of 2 stages with a plinth. C19 polygonal staircase turret to lower stage of west face has C14 two-light square head window above enclosed by string course with similar 2-light bell-chamber opening above. C13 two-light bell chamber openings to north and south faces have plate tracery. Double lancet bell chamber opening to east face. Castellated parapet with central gargoyles and short gabled corner pinnacles. Interior: 3-bay south arcade of C19 pointed arches with roll mouldings and circular piers with Romanesque style capitals. Similar chamfered chancel arch has bracketed capital and flat respond. West tower arch is C13, double-chamfered, with a quatrefoil respond to the north wall and quatrefoil pier to the south which forms one of a group of 3 piers supporting the corner of the tower at this point: the other 2 being a C19 circular pier with a C12 square abaci and some C12 masonry and a similar C19 copy. South tower arch is similar to the south arcade. North chapel has C19 double-chamfered arch with quatrefoil responds and foliated capital. Various C19 roof structures. South aisle has C13 reset piscina. Reset C14 tomb recess in north transept. Monuments: north aisle reset, Robert Willmer died 1612; marble tablet flanked by detached columns on plinth with entablature and heraldic device over. Lady Mary Willmer died 1729; marble tablet with pediment, urn and garlands over. Various C19 marble tablets to Pell and Robertson families. Stained glass east window has reset heraldic glass dated 1580. C20 glass to north nave window. 2 octagonal fonts one C13, the other C19. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.422).

{10} Four of the windows in the tower are of a Romanesque date, as well as the south tower arch inside the church.

{11} Undated photo;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 15/302 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

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

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.422-23 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.134-35 (unchecked) (Series). SNN10247.

<5> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, 41 p.42-3 (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<6> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.148-49 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<7> DRAWINGS, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN56557.

<8> Historic England, 2017, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2017, p. 65 (Report). SNN111090.

<8> Historic England, 2018, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2018, p. 65 (Report). SNN111434.

<9> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<10> King's College, London, 2017, A corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain and Ireland, Site 727 (Website). SNN110894.

<11> Photographs of buildings in Sywell (Photographs). SNN113268.

<12> Historic England, Undated, St Peter and St Paul's Church, Sywell, BF044029 (Archive). SNN115822.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 4:43PM