A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



which supports the ridge of the roof and abuts against 

 the end walls above the chancel and tower arches. The 

 tower sits over the west wall with external and inner 

 arches, and measures 6 ft. 9 in. (north to south) by 

 5 ft. 3 in. internally at the bell-chamber stage. The 

 church, which was restored in 1868-9,' is built of 

 rubble and has a slated eaved roof to the nave. The 

 chancel has plain parapets and a tiled roof. 



With the exception of the upper stage of the tower, 

 which is of the 14th century, the whole of the building 

 dates from the last quarter of the 13th century, but the 

 round-headed south doorway probably belongs to a 

 previous small 1 2th-centur}' church. 



The chancel has short diagonal buttresses of a single 

 stage and an east window of three lights with tracery 



Sc.xLE OF Feet 



Plan of Hannington Church 



formed by the forking and intersection of the muUions. 

 There is a similar window on the north side and two on 

 the south, all with hood-moulds, and a keel-shaped 

 string at sill level goes all round the chancel and nave. 

 At the west end of the south wall is a rectangular low- 

 side window, and a similar one opposite in the north 

 wall, both equally splayed inside and now glazed.^ The 

 piscina has a fluted bowl under a trefoil arch with 

 moulded hood, and the pointed arches of the two 

 sedilia have dog-tooth in the hoUow moulding and 

 rest on a middle shaft with moulded capital and base, 

 and on hollow-chamfered jambs. In the north wall is 

 a rectangular aumbry and farther east a small arched 

 recess. The chancel arch is of two chamfered orders, 

 the innermost springing from half octagon responds 

 with moulded capitals and chamfered bases. Across the 

 opening is a Iate-i4th-century traceried screen, with 

 doors, and solid lower panels. 



The plan of the nave is very regular, with north and 

 south doorways opposite each other, two windows 

 similar to those in the chancel in the north and south 

 walls, and at the west end two lancets, one on either 

 side of the tower. The arches of the arcade are of two 

 chamfered orders springing from circular pillars with 



moulded capitals and bases, and dying into, or abutting 

 against the east and west walls as already noted. In the 

 north wall are two tall lockers for banner staves and 

 processional cross, and in the usual position at the east 

 end of the south wall a trefoiled piscina with fluted 

 bowl. All the walls are plastered internaDy. 



The south doorway has a semicircular arch of two 

 chamfered orders with hood and imposts, the outer 

 order on jamb shafts with moulded bases and scalloped 

 capitals. The north doorway has a pointed arch of two 

 continuous chamfered orders, the nave string-course 

 serving as a hood-mould. The porch has a slated eaved 

 roof and moulded gable coping, with modern apex cross. 

 The tower is of three stages, with lofty external 

 western arch of two chamfered orders dying into the wall, 

 below which is a pointed doorway of 

 three orders, the two outer on shafts 

 with moulded capitals and bases. The 

 upper stage is of dressed stone, in 

 contrast to the older rubble below, 

 and the bell-chamber windows are of 

 two trefoiled lights with quatrefoil in 

 the head. The arch to the nave 

 springs from moulded corbels and is 

 of two chamfered orders. 



The 1 3th-century font has a plain 

 octagonal bowl moulded on the upper 

 and lower edges and lined with lead. 

 The oak pulpit is coeval with the 

 chancel screen, and is a well-preserved 

 and interesting example, in plan a half 

 octagon, with narrow traceried panels. 

 There are no monuments. 



In the tower are two bells, and a 

 priest's bell cast in 1868. The first 

 bell is of early- 16th-century date 

 from the Leicester foundry and is inscribed 'Love 

 horteth not': the second is dated 161 5, and bears the 

 stamp of Hugh Watts and the inscription 'Celorum 

 Chrste platiat tibi rex sonus iste'.^ 



The plate consists of a silver cup and cover paten 

 c. 1570, and a flagon of 1882.* 



The registers begin in 1538, the entries of baptisms, 

 marriages, and burials being recorded together until 1706. 

 There are churchwardens' accounts beginning in 1710. 

 The church of Hannington was 

 ADVOWSON valued at £4 6/. %d. in 1291,5 and the 

 rectory in 1535 was returned at 

 £11 \s. %d.^ 



The advowson was held at an early date by the 

 convent of Sempringham in Lincolnshire; the prior 

 made the presentation in 1223,' and continued to do 

 so until on 1 5 October 1320 the convent received 

 licence to alienate it in mortmain to the Bishop of 

 Lincoln,* by whom it was held until transferred to the 

 bishopric of Peterborough in 1852. In 1853 the rectory 

 was separated from that of Walgrave, to which it had 

 formerly been anne.xed.' 



An Inclosure Act was passed in 1802"" and an allot- 

 ment made in lieu of glebe and tithes, &c. 



I2ffl Century 



I3ffl Century (Late) 



12tli-century church of St. George, which 

 is said to have been the English church. 



* A west gallery was then taken down 

 and the tower arch opened out. 



^ The low-side windows were opened 

 out in 1869. In so doing there was found 

 on the splays the pattern of a coat-of-arms 

 — a cheveron between three mullets — 

 repeated several times, roughly drawn 



with a nail: Sir Henry Dryden's MS. notes 

 in Northampton Public Library. 



3 North, Ch. Bells of Nortianis. 288. 

 The second is now used only as a clock bell. 

 Before 1868 there were three bells and a 

 priest's bell. One of the former and the 

 latter being cracked they were re-cast by 

 Taylor of Loughborough into the present 

 priest's bell. The motto on the first bell is 



from Romans xiii, 10. 



* Markham, Ci. Plate of Northanti. 



H3- 



5 Tax. P. Nick. (Rec. Com.), 39. 



^ Vahr Eccl. (Rec. Com.), iv, 306. 



' Bridges, Hist, of Northants. ii, 97, 



8 Cal Pat. 1317-21, p. 506. 



' Ex inf. Mr. H. Savory. 



'" Priv. Stat. 42 Geo. Ill, cap. 112. 



174 



