A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



in the head and jambs, while the labels on both faces 

 of the arch have the same ornament. There are 

 stone benches on the east and west. The porch, 

 which xvas in a dangerous state before 1885, has been 

 repaired, the old masonry being re-used as far as 

 possible. 



A roll-string runs round inside below the windows 

 of the south aisle, at a lower level than that of the 

 north aisle. 



The chambers at the west ends of the aisles seem 

 to be contemporary with one another, and are some- 

 what narrower than the aisles. Each has a single 

 lancet window on the west, and a second lancet, 

 modern in both cases, in the north and south w-ills 

 respectively. The north chamber is cut oft" from the 

 aisle by a masonry wall 3 ft. thick, in which is a 

 square-headed doorway with a wooden lintel, while 

 the south chamber opens to the south aisle by a I 3th- 

 century arch of two chamfered orders, springing from 

 cone corbels, with moulded capitals ornamented with 

 a line of nailhead. The south chamber has a modern 

 doorway on the south side, and a modern fireplace 

 in the south-west angle, and is used as a vestry. It 

 has on the outside a cornice with dogtooth ornament, 

 composed of re-used voussoirs of arches. 



The south chamber is i ft. 3 in. wider than the 

 north, its width being no doubt that of the former 

 south aisle, and the width of the north chamber 

 probably represents that of the 1 2th-century north 

 aisle, with which it may have been set out to 

 correspond.' 



The tower is of many dates. Its east wall for a 

 considerable height belongs to the pre-Conquest 

 church, the original features which remain being a 

 blocked round-headed opening over the tower arch — 

 this does not show on the west face of the wall — and 

 high above it a triangular-headed doorway with a 

 slight rebate on the quoins of its western face. The 

 quoins have no ' long and short ' character on this face, 

 and but little on the east, but the masonry is of early 

 type. No traces of an original gable are to be seen 

 on the wall. 



The east arch of the tower is an insertion of the 

 end of the 1 2th century, with an arch of two 

 chamfered orders, square abaci, bell capitals with 

 foliage in low relief, half-round responds, and 

 moulded bases with spurs. 



Other features, probably of this date, exist in the 

 round arch over the west doorway, which seems to be 

 the head of a destroyed window, and the double- 

 chamfered strings on the west face of the tower. 



The west doorway has a pointed arch of three 

 orders, with a keeled roll between two lines of dog- 

 tooth, and nook-shafts with moulded capitals and 

 bases. Over it is a small quatrefoiled opening, 

 evidently a late insertion, and apparently replacing a 

 circular window. The doorway is flanked by stepped 

 buttresses, which seem to be an addition of the 14th 

 century. 



In the stage above is a small lancet light. Above 

 this point the tower has been rebuilt in the 15th 

 centurj', and its belfry stage is octagonal, rising from 

 a square which sets back some 16 in. from the square 

 of the tower below. In the cardinal faces of the 



octagon are windows of two cinquefoilcd lights with 

 embattled transoms and quatrefoils in the heads. At 

 the angles of the oct.igon are tall panelled pinnacles, 

 and the wall is crowned with an embattled parapet, 

 from within which springs a lofty crocketed stone 

 spire, with two rows of spire lights. At the angles of 

 the parapet, and at the base of the octagon, below the 

 springing of the pinnacles, are well-designed gurgoyles. 



The woodwork of the chancel roof is mostly 

 modern, but the braces beneath the tiebeams, with 

 pierced tracery spandrels, are old. The nave roof is of 

 the date of the clearstory, with moulded and embattled 

 wall plates, ridge, purlins, and principals ; the pitch 

 is very low and the roof of a weak form, and plain 

 tiebeams have been inserted to prevent spreading. 

 Both aisles have simple 15th-century roofs with 

 moulded timbers. A few pieces of a 15th-century 

 screen are placed against the wall at the west end of the 

 north aisle. Remains of wall paintings are to be seen 

 in several places. Over the chancel arch are traces of 

 what was no doubt a doom, with a central figure, now 

 almost destroyed,' and rows of standing figures on 

 either side. In the middle spandrel of the north 

 arcade of the nave is a painting of St. George and 

 the Dragon, and in the north aisle a series of standing 

 figures, much damaged, on the splays of the windows. 

 Between the second and third windows from the east 

 are two scenes, St. Katherine above, and below her 

 two figures facing each other, St. Michael to the 

 left, holding a balance, the beam of which is being 

 pushed down by our Lady. There was doubtless a 

 soul in the balance, but this part of the painting has 

 perished. Below is a small human figure kneeling in 

 prayer, to implore a like good office.' 



In the tracery of the windows of the south aisle a 

 little original glass remains, with foli.age patterns. 

 The upper rood-loft door is to be seen in the north- 

 east angle of the nave, above the springing of the 

 arches, and on the outer face of the east gable of the 

 nave, on the south side, is a small trefoiled recess in 

 which a sanctus bell formerly hung, the brackets to- 

 take the gudgeons being still in place. 



The font is of 14th-century date, with an octagonal 

 bowl on which are two tiers of pointed arches in low 

 relief, the upper tier being trefoiled. On the shaft is- 

 a roughly-cut leaf pattern, and the base has large 

 projecting ball-flowers on the four alternate faces. 



Several 13th-century grave slabs are preserved in 

 the church, but the most interesting object is part of 

 a cross shaft of pre-Conquest date which is noted in 

 the article on Early Christian Art. 



The plate consists only of a silver plate of 1 84 1, 

 and plated cup, paten, and flagon of modern date. 

 In 1885 a pewter chalice and paten of early shape, 

 perhaps c. 1250, were found in a grave near the third 

 pillar of the north arcade. With them were three 

 scallop shells, each pierced with ttvo holes. 



There are five bells, the treble by John Warner, 

 1874, the second by Toby Norris, 1686, the third, 

 undated, by J. Eayre, the fourth by Thomas Norris, 

 1642, and the tenor by Thomas Osborne of Down- 

 ham, Norfolk, 1 80 1. 



The registers begin in 1560. The first book con- 

 tains baptisms from 1560 to 1616, from 1622 to 



^ The south chamber was used within 

 living memory as a dwelling, and the 

 north chamber was formerly used as a 

 dove-cot. Information from the Rev, 

 Canon Barrett. 



^ The arrangement has been as follows: — 

 In the centre, Christ seated, with our 

 Lady on His right and six Apostles on 

 either side ; at the extreme right and left 

 angels with trumpets, only that on the 



590 



left being preserved. The draperies appear 

 to be unlinished (Information from the 

 Rev. C. J. Percival.) 



^ Information from the Rev. C. J- 



Percival, 



