A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



and below the sill of the west light a blocked low side 

 window with a fiat four-centred head 15 in. high by 

 1 2 in. wide. No trace of it is to be seen on the 

 inner face of the wall. In the south wall of the chan- 

 cel is a piscina with two blank arches in the head, 

 under each arch being a half-round moulded bracket, 

 and between the arches a rosette. In the north wall, 

 east of the doorway, is a panelling of six cinquefoiled 

 arches under a four-centred head, the lower part of 

 the two middle panels being trc.ited as a separate 

 panel, i ft. 6 in. square, while below is a plain ashlar 

 plinth. The Easter Sepulchre was doubtless set up 

 against it, the rectangle marking the place of the coffer. 

 The chancel arch is of the 1 3 th century, with octagonal 

 moulded capitals on cone-shaped corbels, the arch being 

 of two plain chamfered orders. 



The nave has a north arcade off. 1 2 20, with round 

 pillars, octagonal moulded capitals with nailhead, and 

 pointed arches of two chamfered orders. The south 

 arcade, c. 1290-1300, has piers of four engaged shafts 

 with moulded capitals and bases set on high plinths. 

 The responds of this arcade have half-octagonal capitals 

 resting on corbels of female heads, but in the east 

 respond there is a small round base for a shaft below 

 the corbel, I ft. 4 in. above floor level. The drip- 

 stones of the labels of this arcade take the form of large 

 heads, carved with much spirit. 



The north aisle has a 14th-century east window of 

 two trefoiled lights under a square head, and in the 

 north wall a window of two wide trefoiled lights with 

 a quatrefoil in the head, a plain 15th-century north 

 doorway with four-centred head and continuous 

 mouldings, and to the west of it a 15th-century win- 

 dow with two cinquefoiled lights and a four-centred 

 head. The window east of the doorway is of ex- 

 cellent detail and design, and is set in a projecting 

 frame of ashlar. In the west wall of the aisle is a 

 13th-century lancet. 



The south aisle has a 14th-century east window of 

 two trefoiled lights under a square head, and in the 

 south wall three lancets under a segmental head, and 

 a south doorway with continuous mouldings and a 

 four-centred arch of the 15th century. The west 

 window is also of the 15 th century with two cinque- 

 foiled lights and a four-centred head. In the south- 

 east angle of the aisle is a bracket. The south porch 

 has benches on the east and west, and a plain outer 

 arch with modern shafts in the jambs. On the 

 porch are two incised sundials. The clearstory of the 

 nave is of the 15th century with three windows a 

 side, each of two trefoiled lights with four-centred 

 heads. 



The tower is of the 15th century, and has been 

 built after a common fashion, free of the west end of 

 the nave, the gap between being filled with ma- 

 sonry after the completion of the tower, which has 

 flat clasping buttresses at all angles. It is of three 

 stages, the belfry stage having an embattled parapet 



and windows of four trefoiled lights with transoms 

 and four-centred heads. In the second stage are 

 square-headed loops on the north, west, and south, 

 and on the ground stage a west window of two 

 cinquefoiled lights over a four-centred v\-est doorway 

 with continuous mouldings. The east arch of the 

 tower is of two moulded orders, with half-round 

 shafts and octagonal capitals. 



The nave roof is of the 15 th century, and has 

 moulded principals of low pitch, with braces resting 

 on stone corbels, and intermediates with carved figures 

 at their junction with the wall plates. Of these 

 figures those on the north hold a book, a chalice and 

 a host, and a crown of thorns, and those on the south 

 a cross, a shield, and a crown. The north aisle roof 

 is partly ancient, and that in the south aisle is a 

 modern copy of it. The chancel roof is modern. 

 The altar rails have good turned oak balusters, and the 

 communion table is of Elizabethan or early Jacobean 

 date. 



The font stands west of the second pier of the 

 south arcade, and has an octagonal bowl with mould- 

 ings on the lower edge, resting on four engaged shafts 

 with moulded capitals and bases. It dates from the 

 first half of the 14th century. 



In the chancel at the east end of the north wall is 

 a large mural monument with the kneeling figures of 

 three bearded men, facing outward, under a cornice 

 carried by Corinthian columns, with an arched pedi- 

 ment in the centre framing a shield of arms. It was 

 set up in 1633 by Jerome Apreece, in memory of 

 Robert, William, and Robert Apreece, his great-grand- 

 father, grandfather, and father. 



Opposite to it in the south wall of the chancel is 

 another mural monument with a kneeling figure in a 

 panelled frame, to Adlard Apreece, 1608. 



The plate consists of a silver cup and cover paten 

 of 1570, of excellent design and more highly orna- 

 mented than usual : a paten of 1 63 7, and another of 

 1706, with the arms of Apreece quartering Bray. 



The four bells are all from the Norris foundry at 

 Stamford, dated 1610, 1682, 1604, and 1619 re- 

 spectively. 



The first book of the registers contains baptisms 

 from 1653 to 1717, marriages from 1654 to 1710, 

 and burials from 1655 to 1714. The second book, 

 existing in 1 884, is now lost. The third book contains 

 baptisms from 1 765 to 1812, and burials from 1766 

 to 1812. The fourth marriages from 1755 to 1812. 

 By a decree of Commissioners of 

 CHJRITr Charitable Uses, dated 1 April, 1618, 

 a messuage called the Almshouse and a 

 pightle of pasture ground adjoining, containing about 

 I acre, together with parcels of land containing about 

 1 2 acres, were declared to be for the perpetual aid 

 and ease of the poor inhabitants for and concerning 

 the payment of common taxes. The income, about 

 £g a year, is applied in aid of the poor rate. 



NASSINGTON 



Nessmton (xii cent.). 



The parish of Nassington, which is bounded on the 

 east by the River Nene, covers about 2,520 acres. 

 The subsoil is for the most part inferior oolite, but 

 there is a belt of great oolite near the Nene, and a 

 patch to the north towards Yarwell and to the west 

 towards Apethorpe. The parish is fairly well wooded 



especially in the west and north, and the surface is suf- 

 ficiently varied to prevent monotony, though it rises 

 in no place more than 200 ft. above the Ordnance 

 datum. The highest part is about half a mile to 

 the west of the village. 



The principal road is that from Fotheringhay to 

 Wansford. At the village of Nassington two roads 



586 



