BOROUGH OF NORTHAMPTON 



The church consists of a continuous dearstoricd 

 chancel and nave under one roof about 93 ft. long'^ 

 by 18 ft. vride, continuous north and south aisles 

 6 ft. 6 in. wide, north porch, and west tower 12 ft. 4 in. 

 by 12 ft. 8 in., all these measurements being internal. 

 The width across nave and aisles is 35 ft., and the total 

 internal length of the church is 108 ft. 6 in. 



Except at the west end the plan is substantially 

 the same as when first set out, though the walls of 

 both aisles and the east end of the chancel have 

 been rebuilt at different times. Originally the nave 

 extended about 10 ft. further west, with tower be- 

 yond, but was shortened and the tower rebuilt 

 in its present position probably in the early years of the 

 17th century.™ The aisle walls were rebuilt in the 



The walling is generally of ironstone rubble and the 

 main roof is covered with stone slates with slightly 

 projecting eaves ; the aisle roofs are leaded, behind 

 plain parapets. Internally the walls are plastered. 



The chancel is structurally an eastward exten- 

 sion of the nave, the dividing piers of the arcades 

 being common to both. There is no chancel arch, 

 and the design of the arcades precludes there having 

 been one. The nave originally consisted of three 

 double bays, with arches arranged in pairs, supported 

 alternately by slender cylindrical pillars and by 

 more massive compound piers, but the western 

 double bay was cut in halves at the time of the altera- 

 tions recorded above, and only its eastern portion 

 remains. The rebuilt tower thus encroaches on the 



ILate 121!) CENr.^.ll75-l200jESgi7I!! CtiNrukv 

 IDLmf. I2I!1 Cunt. rebuilt m new position in 1 71!! Ckxturv 

 [1^314!!! Ceviukv ^1521 Ci;m- □Modi':k\(I850-|) 



Sc.vLE OF Feet 

 Plan of St. Peter's Church, Northampton 



14th century, the old doorways being retained, and 

 some alterations were afterwards made at the east 

 end of the north aisle, where a 15th century window 

 still remains.''* Square-headed windows were inserted 

 in the aisles in the 17th century, and the east end of 

 the building seems to have been reconstructed about 

 the same time," the projecting square end of the 

 chancel being removed and the aisles shortened. 



After long years of neglect, the building was re- 

 stored in 1850-51 by Sir Gilbert Scott,'* when the 

 cast end was rebuilt in its present form," the clear- 

 story (which had been mutilated and modernised)'* 

 restored to its original character, and the nave and 

 chancel new roofed. The aisle roofs were renewed 

 in 1882. The tower was further restored externally 

 in 1901, and 1912-13. 



clearstory and arcades, the present west responds 

 of which are in reality whole pillars partly built into 

 the wall." The chancel arcades consist of three single 

 bays, with cylindrical pillars on each side. 



The arches throughout are semicircular, and of 

 about 7 ft. span, of a single order, with bold chevron 

 ornament on each side and plain soffits, but without 

 hood moulds. The compound piers are of quatrefoil 

 section, consisting of four clustered shafts, those 

 facing east and west forming responds to the inter- 

 mediate pillars. The shafts on the side towards the 

 nave are continued up to the top of the clearstory 

 as supports for the roof principals, and have scalloped 

 capitals, while those towards the aisles formed springer.s 

 for transverse arches now destroyed. The diameter 

 of the compound piers is considerably greater than 



" Of thii the chancel it 42 (t. 6 in. 



•• Sir Gilbert Scott reported that he 

 had been informed by the clerk that there 

 were foundation! extending from the tower 

 weitward which prevented the digging of 

 gravel : Serjeantion, op. cit. 262. Prof. 

 Hamilton Thompion luggeiti that it ii 

 poiiible that the rebuilding of the tower 

 and of the eait end and the insertion of 

 the numeroui iquare-headed window! all 

 took place earljr in the reign of Cbarle! I 

 while Dr. Samuel Clerk wai rector. 

 Clerk wa! one of the commi!!ioncr! 

 appointed by the Bishop to lee that the 

 churchc! were decently kept, and he would 

 feel bound to set hii own house in 



order to begin with. Arch. Jour. Ixix, 



437- 



" A crypt at the east end of the aisle is 

 probably not older than the 1 5th century 

 alteration. It was examined in 1850 and 

 found to be 16 ft. by 9 ft., with two 

 ^^indow! in the north wall, and the roof 

 lupported by five legmental stone ribs : 

 ibid. 61. 



" During its demolition in 1850 a coin 

 of Charles I was found in the then existing 

 east wall. The reconstruction of the cast 

 and west ends of the church may have been 

 contemporaneous. 



" His fir!t report i! dated May 1849. 

 The reitoration wa! beg'm in June 1850, 



41 



and the church reopened in April 

 1852. 



'^ The original foundations of the chan- 

 cel were found lome 12 ft. eastward of the 

 then existing east wall, and new walls were 

 built upon them. Many 12th century 

 fragments were found in the wall during 

 demolition. The aisles, which had appa- 

 rently been shortened about 5 ft., were 

 extended to their former length : Serjeant- 

 son, op. cit. 61. 



" On the south side the clearstory 

 arcade had been cut away to admit two 

 late windows, presumably of 17th century 

 date : Serjeantson. op. cit. 60, 



'• Ibid. 59. 



