HUXLOE HUNDRED 



kettp:ring 



by a stair-turrtt at the north-west corner of the aisle. 

 The pointed outer doorway is set within a square 

 frame, the spandrels of which are filled with quatrc- 

 foils in circles, and above are three canopied niches, 

 the outer ones formerly occupied by statues of St. 

 Peter and St. P.iul, whose emblems appear on shields 

 below. The porch has a square-headed two-light 

 window on each side, but no wall benches ; the 

 chamber is lighted by a similar window facing west. 



The clearstory windows are of three cinqucfoilcd 

 lights with four-centred heads and moulded jambs. 



The magnificent tower and spire arc equal in height," 

 and are amongst the best examples of work of their 

 kind in the kingdom. The wliole tower was carefully 







i-iiilii;:;:;.. 



Kettering : Church Porch 



designed with relation to the spire whicii it was to 

 bear and the slope of the buttresses was contrived 

 with this end in view. The tower is of four stages, 

 with a slight set-back at each stage, and finishes with 

 battlemented parapets and octagonal angle turrets. 

 There is a vice in the south-west angle. Above the 

 moulded plinth is a band of quatrcfoils in circles, 

 which is continued round the enclosing rectangular 

 frame of the west doorway. The doorway is richly 

 moulded and flanked by small panelled buttresses, 

 terminating in lofty pinnacles, and has a crocketcd 

 hood with large finials ; the spandrels are filled with 

 Perpendicular tracery. The tower buttresses are 

 well set back from the angles, and there is a band 

 of quatrefoils marking each stage. The great west 

 window is of five lights, with transom and Perpen- 

 dicular tracery, and the stage above is filled on each 

 face with five transoraed panels, the middle one of 

 which is pierced. On each side of the bell-chamber 

 stage are three admirably proportioned windows 

 of two trefoiled lights with transoms, and the battle- 

 ments have cross loopholes. The spire was repaired 



in 1887, when 31 ft. were taken down and rebuilt'*; 

 the angles are crocketcd, and there are three sets 

 of lights on the cardinal faces, the two lower with 

 mullions and tracery. The tower arch is of four 

 chamfered orders, the innermost springing from half- 

 round responds. 



The font and pulpit are modern. 



There are some traces of mural paintings ; on the 

 north clearstory wall, near tlie chancel arch, is the 

 figure of an angel with gaze apparently directed 

 to the rood above the loft, and in the spandrel of the 

 arch below is a fragment of a post-Reformation text.''' 

 On the inncrwall of the nortii aisle are the remains of 

 a figure of St. Roeli on a blue ground powdered with 

 gilt stars.*" 



A fragment of 15th-century glass, with kneeling 

 figure bearing an inscription to the Blessed Virgin, 

 remains in a window of the south chapel, and another 

 inscription in the same window '. . . pro statu magistri 

 Tho. Bloxham,' may have reference to this figure." 



In the south chapel is a small brass plate to Edmund 

 Sawyer (d. 1630) and his wife Ann Goodman, of 

 Blaston, with kneeling figures ; the chapel also con- 

 tains a 17th-century bookstand and desk for two 

 chained books, tlie chains of which remain.*^ In the 

 vestry is an old iron-bound chest with three locks. 



There is a ring of ten bells. The two trebles are 

 by Gillett and Johnson, of Croydon, 1921, the third 

 and fourth by Richard Sanders, of Bromsgrove, 

 1714, the fifth by John Taylor and Co. of Lough- 

 borough, 1890, the sixth a recasting by Taylor, 

 in 1905, of a bell by Thomas Eayre of Kettering, 

 dated 1714, the seventh dated 1630, the eighth by 

 Thomas Eayre, 1732, the ninth by the same founder, 

 1722, and the tenor by VV. and J. Taylor, 1832.*^ 



The plate consists of a cup c. 1663, inscribed 

 ' The gift of Elizabeth Crosey to Kettering Church,' 

 with the maker's mark re four times repeated; 

 a plate of 1716 inscribed 'The gift of Mrs. Fowler 

 in the parish of Kettering who dyed the 27th of 

 Aprill 1715 ' ; a flagon of 1756, by William Sliaw and 

 William Priest ; a silver-gilt chalice of 1908, given in 

 1915 ; a silver-gilt chalice by Frank Knight of 

 Wellingborough, given in 1926 ; a silver-gilt ciborium 

 of 1914, and another by Frank Knight, 1926. There 

 are also two plated dishes 1871, and a pewter flagon. 



The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) 

 baptisms 1637-1680, marriages and burials 1637-1681 ; 

 (ii) baptisms 1681-1710, marriages 1697-1709, burials 

 1683-1710; (iii) baptisms and burials 1710-1812, 

 marriages 1710-1754; (iv) marriages 1754-1781; 

 (v) marriages 1781-1812. In the third volume is a 

 terrier of 1727. 



The advowson belonged to the 



ADVOW^ON abbot and convent of Peterborough 



down to the dissolution of that 



house. It was granted with the manor to Lord 



" Billingt gives the height from the 

 floor of the nave to the baie of the spire 

 ai 88 ft. q) in. and of the tpire (without 

 the vane) 88 ft. 8 in. 



•* Bull, WiK. 0/ Kettering, p. 72 it. The 

 last II ft. were entirely new work. The 

 height of the «pirc was slightly increased, 

 the total height of tower and spire, ex- 

 clusive of finial and vane, being now 

 178 ft. loj in. 



•• It runs "... Cod which givcth 

 his abundance to all things living. That 



they doe good, that they be rich in good 

 works." 



•^ It was discovered about 1840. The 

 figure is represented in a scarlet coat, an 

 angel holding his right hand, a dog against 

 his left leg, with wallet and escallop shell, 

 and in his left hand a pilgrim's staff. 

 The figure was at one time attributed to 

 St. Jamei the Greater. 



*' In Undges' time there were 'broken 

 portraits of saints and bishops in most of 

 the windows of the aisles ' ; op. cit. ii, 243. 



223 



^^ The cover of one book also remains. 

 In an inventory of 1745 are named the 

 Book of Homilies, Jewel's Apology, and 

 Foxe's Acts and Monuments. 



*^' North, Ch. Belli of Northanis. 315, 

 where the inscriptions on the older bells 

 are given. During the restoration of 

 1890-91 the bell-chamber floor was raised 

 several feet. The 17th century wooden 

 pillars which formerly supported the 

 tinging and organ gallery now form part 

 of a staircase in the ringing chambrr. 



