BOROUGH OF NORTHAMPTON 



the south side of the chancel reported to be formerly 

 a chapel,' in which were the stairs to the crypt.** 



No evidence has been found of pre-Conquest worl;, 

 and though no architectural remains or fragments of 

 I2th century date have come to light, there seems 

 some reason to believe that the core of the pillars 

 supporting the tower is of that period.** From the 

 Bishop of Lincoln's grant in 1 232 of an indulgence of 

 twenty da; s to contributors to the work of All Saints'* 

 it may be assumed that a considerable amount of 



the building was mainly of this period," the changes 

 in the 15th century being those already mentioned, 

 together with the introduction of pointed arches 

 below tlie original tower openings. The church was 

 'greatly in decay' in January 1594-5, and in the 

 following March much damage was done by a storm, 

 ' many large stones being blown en to the leads ' 

 and through the roof 'just over the mayor's seat.' ** 

 In 1617 considerable repairs were done to the tower,** 

 and eithor then or a few years later the 15th century 





3: 



Organ 

 Chamber 



m 



Chancel 



mm^M^ 





«« 



iiiwSik^al 



War Memorial 

 Chapel 



3: 



IE 





I05__0 



10 



20 



30 



40 



50 



Scale of Feet 



W 

 121!) Century 

 Pre 1675 



^l676-80 



Eai70l 



CH Modern 



Plan of All Saints' Church, Northampton 



-x> 



building was at that time in progress, perhaps the 

 reconstruction of the Norman church ; but whatever 

 the nature of the work then done it probably con- 

 tinued for many years aftet Bishop Wells's death in 

 1235, though no remains of distinctly 13th century 

 masonry have been found. The church, however, 

 appears to have undergone a variety of alterations and 

 adaptations during the 14th and two succeeding 

 centuries." The existing crypt, below the western 

 part of the chancel, is of the early 14th century, and 

 the upper part of the tower seems to be very little 

 later. Pieces of jamb and mullion stones recovered 

 from crypt excavations'* were all of the 14th century, 

 and it is not unlikely that at the time of its destruction 



arches were built up and the existing narrow arches 

 on the north, east and south sides constructed.** 

 There were repairs at the west end in 1624, in the 

 chancel in 1632, and of a more general character in 

 1633-5"; '" 1667 the roof of the south aisle of the 

 chancel was ' very ruinous and out of repair.' 



The new church was opened in September 1680, 

 but was not completed in its present form till the 

 beginning of the 1 8th century.** The great west 

 portico was erected in 1701, and the cupola and vane 

 added to the tower in 1704. A gallery was erected on 

 the north side of the nave in 1 714, but it was not until 

 1 81 5 that the south gallery was set up.** The church 

 was partially restored in 1 840,*' and more extensively 



*• Strjeantson, op. cit. 245-6. 



•» Ibid. 236. " Ibid. 16. " Ibid. 236. 



" During alterations in 1886. 



" Thii wai the opinion of Mr. Matthew 

 Holding, architect, quoted by Serjeantion, 

 139. 



" Serjeantion, op. cit. 243 : 'A great 

 part of the church ii fallen down by 

 meant of the great wind that happened 

 on TbuitJay lait (March 20).' 



" Ibid. 244. 



" Mr. Holding dated theit arches from 

 about 1619, when it is recorded that ' this 

 year the congregation of All Saints was 

 afraid the church would have fallen in 

 sermon time.' 



" Scrjcantson, op. cit. 244. In Novem- 

 ber 1658 it was ordered that the church- 

 wardens ' do take and weigh the lead that 

 came oB the chapel of the Lady Mary and 



49 



other the materials thereof except the 

 walls and what else may be useful for 

 the church, and make sale of them.' 



" Ibid. 247. 



" At the west end a gallery nas erected 

 in 1806 on each side of the organ, which 

 had been placed there in 1700. 



•» It was closed for five weeks : the 

 tower was restored ' in a subsuntial 

 manner.' 



