Building record 4177/1/1 - St Mary's Church

Church built in the late 13th-early 14th century. The tower has probably been little altered, but the rest of the building was extensively rebuilt and chancel entirely rebuilt by Sir G.G. Scott in 1867. Built of squared coursed ironstone with limestone ashlar dressings and spire, the roofs are of lead. The church consists of an aisled nave, chancel, west tower and south porch in Decorated style.

{1} Standing building; medieval church of St Mary's at Ashley; {7} the expensive reconstruction of the chancel of St mary's Church by sir George Gilbert Scott in 1867 included the installation of a marble and encaustic tile pavement.

{2} Ashley Church '... most of one date, that being of the 14th cent ....' The tower and spire had evidently been repaired in the fifteenth century.

{8} Church. Late C13 and early C14. Tower, probably little altered, but rest extensively rebuilt and chancel entirely rebuilt by Sir G.G. Scott, 1867, for Rev. R. Pulteney. Squared coursed ironstone with limestone ashlar dressings and spire. Lead roofs. Aisled nave, chancel, west tower and south porch in Decorated style. South elevation of chancel of 2-window range of 2-light windows. Small south door to left of centre. Cast iron rainwater head between windows. Steeply pitched roof with ashlar parapets and finial. 5-light east window with roundels. North elevation of chancel of one-window range similar to the south. North chapel projects over chancel and has 3-light east window. South aisle of
3-window range of 2-light windows. Lean-to roof with ashlar parapet. Porch to right of centre has ashlar gable parapets and finial and roll moulding to inner door. North aisle and north chapel of 5-window range of 2-light geometrical windows. 3 windows to centre retain some C14 tracery. Blocked north door to right of centre and lateral ashlar stack to left of centre. Lean-to roof with plain corbelled eaves and gargoyles. Ashlar gable parapets. 2- and 3-light west and east windows. Ashlar buttresses between all windows and carved label stops to all windows on south-east and west elevations of south aisle and chancel. Nave arcade of 5-window range of 2-light square-head windows. Shallow gabled roof with ashlar parapets and gargoyles. West tower of 3 stages with 3 stage angle buttresses to western corners of lower 2 stages. 2-light west window in first stage. 4 armorial plaques to south face of second stage with clock in centre. Upper stage is limestone ashlar with pairs of 2-light bell-chamber openings to each face and shallow pilasters at corners. Broach spire with 2 tiers of lucarnes. Interior; 5-bay nave arcades of double chamfered arches with quatrefoil piers were probably reconstructed c.1867. C19 roll moulded chancel arch with marble outer shafts. Multi-chamfered tower arch. C19 roof structures. Triple arch opening between chancel and north chancel, has cusping, marble shafts and rich painted decoration. Rich painted wall decoration to chancel of 1867 by Clayton and Bell has frieze representing the saints, recently restored by same firm. Marble reredos, with gilding, and painted ceiling also by Clayton and Bell. Brass gates at chancel steps and brass and wrought iron communion rail. Gothic style wrought iron painted chandeliers in nave aisles and north chapel by Bodley. Richly painted organ case in north chapel by Bryceson c.1867. C19 stained glass by Clayton and Bell to chancel windows, east windows of aisles and west windows of tower. C19 screen of 7 bays forms end of north chapel into vestry C19 pink marble font with gilding in nave and C18 pedestal font in chancel. Monuments: early and mid C19 marble tablets to Farrer family, reset in north wall of chancel. Early C20 tablets to Pultney and Lascelles family to south wall of chancel. Richly decorated triple sedilia and piscina also to south wall of chancel. Chancel floor of encaustic tiles with marble insets. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.93)

{10} Church comprising nave, north and south aisles, chancel and western tower with spire. The church is mentioned in 1254(a); the earliest incumbent listed is dated 1220b).

{15} Ashley Church '... most of one date, that being of the 14th century ....' The tower and spire had evidently been repaired in the fifteenth century.

<1> Baker G., 1822-36, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN10400.

<2> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.273-74 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.93 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, (unchecked) (Series). SNN77383.

<5> Glynne S., 1859, Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne, 42 p.59-60 (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN39492.

<6> 1807, Ashley Inclosure Map, (unchecked) (Map). SNN102377.

<7> Pearson L., 2003, Gazeteer of British Tile and Architectural Ceramic Sites: County Draft, Northamptonshire, p.3 (Gazetteer). SNN103233.

<8> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<9> Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society, 2011, TACS (Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society) Location Database (Gazetteer). SNN107648.

<10> Woodhouse, W C, 1959, Field investigators comments, 28-SEP-1959 (Notes). SNN113006.

<11> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1984, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, (unchecked) (Series). SNN77384.

<12> The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN10247.

<13> Cotton MS Nero D X (Manuscript). SNN113010.

<14> Philimore W, Davis F (ed), 1907-9, Rotuli Hugonis de Welles Episcupi Lincolniensis AD 1209-35, Reg. Hug Wells, Ep. Linc (Book). SNN2625.

<15> Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological Society, Vol 1, 1863, p. 208 (Journal). SNN113080.

<15a> Historic England, Unknown, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments, Rev. T. James. (Oral Report). SNN111577.

<16> Richmond H., 1988, Survey of Northamptonshire Parish Churches (Unpublished Report). SNN1195.

<17> Historic England, Undated, St Mary's Church, Ashley, BF107236 (Archive). SNN116406.

Record last edited

Dec 16 2024 3:41PM