A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



has double-chamfered jambs and a hood-mould. In 

 character it is earlier than the other, which is also of 

 two lights but with a forked mullion and the jambs 

 have an outer hollow chamfer; but the whole of the 

 earlier work in the church is of a type that seems to 

 have prevailed in Northamptonshire from about 1 260 

 to 1300 and even later, which it is difficult to date 

 accurately without documentary evidence. Further 

 west, its sill considerably higher than the others, is an 

 inserted 1 5th-century three-light window like those 

 opposite, and at a lower level in the south-west angle 

 of the chancel a plain rectangular low-side window, 

 now blocked.' In the wall opposite, at the north-west 

 angle, is a smaller blocked low-side opening of 1 5th- 



The late- 1 3th-century south arcade of the nave con- 

 sists of three pointed arches of two chamfered orders, 

 with hood-mould on each side, springing from oc- 

 tagonal pillars with moulded capitals and bases and 

 from responds of similar character. The bases have a 

 double roll, except that of the west respond which is 

 not moulded, and the capitals differ slightly in detail, 

 that of the westernmost pillar having a band of small 

 trefoils and quatrefoils below the abacus. The three 

 corresponding arches of the slightly earlier north arcade 

 are of the same general character, but the bases are 

 chamfered and on square plinths and the capitals are 

 less in height. When the arcade was extended west- 

 ward the old respond was re-used and two new pillars 



E 131 CeNTUKV LATE 



□ in Century 



□ 1 5ffl Century 



□ Modern 



S. Aisle 



lA J;;!l!.L£i^;:_-. fc-»-»-i/^ ■ • 



10 5 O 10 20 30 40 SO 



Scale of Feet 



Plan of Blisworth Church 



century date, with trefoiled head and rectangular hood- 

 mould, splaying widely to the east inside.^ The late- 

 1 3th-century piscina has a plain double hollow- 

 chamfered recess and projecting fluted bowl supported 

 by a shaft with moulded capital. There are no sedilia. 

 At the south-west angle of the chancel is a squint, now 

 blocked, from the aisle.^ The low, widespread chancel 

 arch is a 14th-century reconstruction contemporary 

 with the western extension of the nave; it is of two 

 chamfered orders, the inner on half-octagonal responds 

 with moulded capitals and bases. There is a good i 5th- 

 century oak chancel screen with traceried openings, 

 plain bottom panels, and moulded top. The stalls have 

 been much restored. The baluster altar rails are appa- 

 rently of late- 17th-century date. The chancel roof is 

 modern.* The 15th-century rood-loft stair remains 

 in a very perfect condition on the north side of the 

 chancel arch at the east end of the nave arcade, the wall 

 being thickened for the purpose. The lower doorway 

 is four-centred, and the upper one square-headed with 

 a battlemented moulding. 5 



and arches erected. The new bays carried on the 

 general design, but the mouldings of the capitals and 

 bases indicate their later date. 



The south aisle is without buttresses, and though 

 rebuilt preserves much of its former character. The 

 arch dividing the chapel at its east end from the rest of 

 the aisle is of t^vo chamfered orders, springing from the 

 easternmost pier of the arcade and from a respond with 

 moulded capital. The chapel is lighted at the south end 

 by a large square-headed window of five lights with 

 moulded jambs and muUions,* below which, inside, is 

 a late wall recess with fiat moulded ogee arch.^ A 

 former piscina has disappeared. The aisle is also lighted 

 by a modern pointed two-light window, to the west 

 of which is the doorway. In the south wall of the nave, 

 between the aisle and the tower, is a pointed window 

 originally of three lights the mullions of which have 

 been removed. 



The north aisle has a small diagonal buttress at the 

 north-west angle, and is lighted by three windows in 

 the north wall and one at each end. The east window 



' Assoc. Arch. Soc. Rep. xxix, 384, 

 where it is figured. The opening is 2 ft. 

 8 in. high and 2 ft. 2 in. wide, simply 

 chamfered, with a low segmental head 

 inside. The sill is about 2 ft. above the 

 ground. 



* Ibid. 386. Inside it is covered by a 

 flat stone. The height of the opening is 

 2 ft. 7 in. and the width 12 in., splaying 



out to 5 ft. 4 in. 



^ The opening in the aisle is 11 in. 

 wide and 2 ft. 3 in. high. It communi- 

 cated with the sill of the low-side window. 



4 It was formerly of low pitch, but has 

 been heightened. 



5 Its sill is immediately below the 

 spring of the chancel arch. The newel 

 staircase has seventeen steps, and was 



lighted by two small openings (now 

 blocked) on the north side. 



^ The window is an old one re-used. 

 It may have been originally pointed, and 

 its head cut off when the roof of the chapel 

 was flattened, perhaps in the 17th century, 



' It is 6 ft. 6 in. wide, but is not cen- 

 trally placed in the wall. It may be of 

 16th-century date. 



226 



