Building record 1974/1/1 - Church of St Leonard, Hardwick

Church built in the 13th, with 14th and mid 19th century additions. Built of regular coursed and squared limestone and ironstone, with ashlar dressings and lead and stone slate roofs. The church consists of a nave, chancel, south aisle, north porch and west tower

{1} Church. C13, C14 and mid C19. Regular coursed and squared coursed limestone and ironstone with ashlar dressings and lead and stone slate roof. Nave, chancel, south aisle, north porch and west tower. South elevation of chancel is of one-window range with 2-light window to left with small lancet below. South door to right of window. Shallow pitched roof with ashlar cornice, gable parapets, and finial. 4-light, C14, east window has roundels with cusping. North elevation of chancel is similar to south with 2-light window to left. Fragments of masonry depicting a head to right. Mid C19 south aisle is of segmented coursed ironstone with lean-to roof and has 4-window range of 2-light windows. Similar east and west windows, ashlar cornice, gable parapets and kneelers. South nave clerestory is of 2-window range of 2-light windows with C19 reticulated tracery. North elevation of nave of 3-window range of 2-light ogee headed windows with C19 renewed tracery. Mid C19 gabled porch to right of centre has ashlar gable parapets and finial and Colleyweston slate roof. C13 west tower of 3 stages has single lancet to west face of lower stage. Large 2-stage buttresses at abutment with nave. 2-light bell-chamber openings to each face of third stage. Remains of corbel table above. Castellated ashlar parapet was probably rebuilt 4 courses above the original corbel table. Interior: C13 four-bay south arcade of double-chamfered arches on circular piers. Double-chamfered chancel arch with polygonal responds. Double-chamfered tower arch with plain responds. C19 roof structures. C19 font supported on detached columns. Pulpit 1860, marble, with trefoils and quatrefoils decorated with mosaic. C19 coloured glass to all windows. Monument, south wall of chancel, Sir Francis Nicolls died 1642, is brass panel with 4 kneeling figures in painted alabaster surround with heraldic device above flanked by short obelisks. Four C17 brass tablets to left of chancel steps to Nicolls and Bagshawe families. Black stone tablet to right of chancel steps to William Baker died 1733. Similar tablet to Sarah Baker died 1732 at rear of nave. Various other inscribed floor tablets. Pre-reformation bell in lower stage of tower has Latin inscription. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.245).

{9} In c.1130 the Grimbauds bestowed the church on St. Andrew's Priory, Northampton. In 1199 it was conveyed to the Master of the Knights Tempalrs, and in 1249/50 from them to Henry de Seymour. In 1304 it was recovered, against John de Seymour, and was held by the Prior of the Hospitallers until the Dissolution.

{10} Undated photo.

{11} Ground plan of church by W Slater and RH Carpenter, 1868.

{14} Medieval glass includes a figure of St John the Baptist. It is not in situ, although its original location cannot be established.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 4/179 (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.245 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<5> Barker, J.C., 1985, Hardwick Church Perimeter Drainage, (checked) (Correspondence). SNN601.

<6> Millwood Gotch and Pearson, 1985, Hardwick Church - Proposed Rainwater Disposal, (checked) (Plan). SNN1784.

<7> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches, (unchecked) (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<8> 1587, Map of Hardwick, (unchecked) (Map). SNN47295.

<9> Chapman, A., 1996, Manor Farm, Hardwick, Northamptonshire Archaeological Evaluation Stage 1: Desktop Assessment, (checked) (Report). SNN72411.

<10> Photographs of buildings in Hardwick (Photographs). SNN112558.

<11> Lambeth Palace Library, Incorporated Church Building Society Archive, ICBS06643 (Digital archive). SNN115761.

<12> Woodfield P., 1981, The Larger Medieval Houses of Northamptonshire, 16/171 (checked) (Article). SNN23550.

<13> Historic England, Undated, St Leonard's Church, Hardwick, BF055024 (Archive). SNN115784.

<14> Marks R., 1998, Stained Glass Of Northamptonshire, p. 95 (Book). SNN101533.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 8:15PM