A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



in his demesne lands in Thorpe in 1 235." The same 

 right was granted to William Tuchet in 1300 and to 

 the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield a few months 

 later,^* and it was claimed by the Countess of Pem- 

 broke and her feoffee Maud de Holand.'' 



A water-mill is mentioned in 1330, and was held 

 with Thorpe Waterville manor. It had then been 

 recently reconstructed. '^ It was leased in 1519 with 

 other demesne lands to Miles Brykehead and his wife 

 Joan for 21 years'' and is mentioned again in the grant 

 of the manors to Sir William Fitzwilliam.'^ 



The church of ST. JOHN-THE-BAP- 

 CHURCH TIST consists of chancel 32 ft. 3 in. by 

 16 ft. 6 in., nave 54 ft. 9 in. by 19 ft., 

 north and south transepts, north aisle, south porch, 

 and west tower surmounted by a broach spire. The 

 tower is 10 ft. 3 in. square and the width across the 

 transepts 45 ft., all these measurements being internal. 



of the easternmost window is lowered to form a 

 seat. 



The transepts are identical in size, being 12 ft. 6 in. 

 in widtn by 10 ft. 6 in. deep,*^ and are separated from 

 the nave by pointed arches. The end windows are 

 of two lights with geometrical tracery similar to that 

 in the westernmost window of the chancel, but the 

 one on the north is wholly restored. At the east 

 end of the north wall of the north transept is a trefoil- 

 headed recess, probably a piscina, but the sill is 

 covered. The end of the south transept is wholly 

 covered by the monument to Sir Thomas Powys." 

 The windows of the nave are similar to those in the 

 transepts, but the tracery is modern. 



The tower is of three stages, with moulded plinth 

 and projecting vice at the north-west angle weathering 

 back at the level of the bell-chamber. The spire is 

 carried on a trefoiled corbel table and has plain angles 



Scale of Feet 



Plan of Thorpe Achurch Church 



mSIUCcNTURYLATE 



C] Modern 



The aisle and porch are additions made in 1862, when 

 the church was extensively restored, and in 191 2 an 

 organ chamber was built on the north of the chancel 

 against the transept ; with these exceptions the build- 

 ing is all of one date, having been erected c. 1280-90 

 on a regular cruciform plan, with transcptal chapels 

 opening from the east end of the nave. The roofs 

 are all modern and covered with grey slates ; the 

 walling is of coursed rubble with buttresses and 

 dressings of ashlar and having corbel tables to chancel 

 and nave. The aisle has a plain parapet. 



The chancel is of two bays with gabled buttresses 

 of two stages, and cast window of three trefoiled 

 lights, the geometrical tracery of which is a modern 

 copy of the original. The other windows in the 

 chancel are of two trefoiled lights with simple geome- 

 trical tracery, one on the north side and three on the 

 south, diflferiiig in detail and in part restored. At 

 the west end of the south wall arc the remains of a 

 rectangular low-side window, now blocked, and 

 without architectural features. The walls arc plas- 

 tered internally and no piscina is visible, but the sill 



and two sets of lights on each of the cardinal faces 

 The west doorway has a segmental head of two 

 moulded orders and shafted jambs ; there is a single 

 light window over and in the stage above a tall 

 round-headed window. On the north and south 

 the lower stage is blank, but the middle is pierced by 

 a quatrefoil opening within a circle. The bell-chamber 

 windows are of two plain lancets with trefoiled circle 

 in the head within an enclosing arch, the hood- 

 mould of which is continued round the tower as a 

 string. The tower arch is of three chamfered orders, 

 the inner resting on moulded corbels, the outer 

 dying out. 



The font, which stands in the south transept, is 

 ancient, and consists of a plain octagonal bowl and 

 stem. 



The church was reseated in 1862, but tbc pulpit, 

 choir stalls, and tower screen date from 1 91 2. In the 

 chancel are four 1 8th century brass candelabra, and 

 in the nave is an old oak chest with three locks. 



The elaborate monument to Sir Thomas Powys in 

 the south transept was brought here from Lilford 



" Cat. Chan, 1116-57, p. 111. 

 " Ibid. 1157-1300, p. 4S1 ; 1300-1316, 

 pp. 1, 77. 

 "Anile R. 631, (. 76. 

 "Ibid. I. 75. 



" L. and r. Urn. I'lll, ii, g. 1008 (19) ; 

 iii, g. i86i (6). 



"Pat. R. 2c) Men. VIII, pt. i. 



" Or 13 ft. i( mr.iiurcd from the face of 

 (he nave wall, which il 30 in. thick. 



"* The monnment blocks the south 

 window, but there ia a two-light window 

 in the enst w;ill. The cut wall of the 

 nor t h tr.iTiscpt is now covered by the 

 or^an chamber, and on the west the 

 transept is open to the aiilc. 



