Description

IRTHLINGBOROUGH CHURCH STREET
SP9470NE (West side)
16/74 Church of St. Peter
08/05/50 (Formerly listed as Parish
Church of St. Peter)
GV I

Collegiate church. C12 origins, mainly mid C13 to early C14, restored C19, tower
rebuilt 1889-93. Licence to make existing church collegiate obtained by John
Pyel in 1373. Squared coursed limestone with ironstone and ashlar dressings.
Lead and plain tile roofs. Aisled nave and chancel, transepts, west tower linked
to church by former college buildings. South elevation of chancel of one-window
range with 2-light window with Y-tracery. Chancel clerestory above. Late C13
five-light east window of lancets forming Y-tracery. North elevation of chancel
of one-window range with 2-light window with C19 Y-tracery. South chapel of
2-window range of 2-light windows with Y-tracery. Single chamfered south doorway
to left. 2-stage buttresses between bays and at corner. North chapel of 2 bays.
One-window range with 2-light C19 window to right. Lean-to roof with quatrefoil
frieze with shields. 2-light east window with Y-tracery. Small 3-sided C19
vestry in corner between north chapel and chancel. South transept has 3-light
Decorated south window with reticulated tracery. Shallow gabled roof with ashlar
parapets. 2-light east window with Y-tracery and single lancet to west
elevation. North transept has 3-light north window with Y-tracery. Shallow
gabled roof with ashlar parapet. East side is blank. 2-light C19 west window
with Y-tracery. South aisle of 2-window range with C14 three-light square-head
window to right, with reticulated tracery. C19 single lancet to left. 2-stage
buttresses between windows. Lean-to roof with ashlar parapets. 3-light west
window with Y-tracery. North aisle of 3 bays. 2-window range with 2-light
square-head window to left, with renewed tracery and 3-light central window with
segmental arch head. Blocked north door to right has moulded surround and
trefoil-head holy water stoup to right. Blocked square-head window above.
Lean-to roof with ashlar parapet. C14 four-light west window has tracery with
mouchettes. 3-light west window to nave at clerestory level. North and south
nave clerestory of 4-window range of 3-light windows under segmental-arch heads.
Shallow gable roof with castellated ashlar parapet and cornice. Chancel
clerestory of 4-window range of 3-light square-head windows with some renewed
tracery, all with hood moulds. Shallow gabled roof with ashlar gable parapets,
cornice and 12 gargoyles. West porch and attached vestry were formerly part of
college buildings, restored C19. South elevation of porch of 2 bays with C19
two-light window to right and south doorway with moulded stone surround to left.
Hood mould of blocked window to centre and evidence of various refenestration.
Gabled roof behind ashlar parapet with cornice. North elevation of porch is
similar to south. South elevation of vestry of one-window range with C19
two-light window with plate tracery. Large 3-stage buttress to right has blank
half arch at base with squint and fragment of arch at head. North elevation of
vestry has blocked arch head door opening to lower level and similar blocked
opening above. Blocked square-head opening to right return wall above porch has
similar blocked opening. Gabled roof with plain tiles behind ashlar parapet. C19
octagonal flue. C14 style west lantern tower carefully rebuilt as replica. Tower
of 4 stages of banded limestone and ironstone. 4-stage, set-back angle
buttresses to lower 3 stages. West face of first stage has arch-head door
opening above ground level. Faces of second and third stage have single-light
windows with cusping. Armorial plaques to head of third stage. Pairs of
single-light bell-chamber openings with niches between and tracery, to each face
of fourth stage. 2-stage octagonal lantern above with polygonal turrets with
castellated parapet at each corner. Castellated parapet is continued between
turrets as a frieze at the base of the lantern and was added to the original
design when the tower was rebuilt. Lower stage of lantern has single-light
square-head windows to each face, some blocked. Upper stage has 3-light
square-head windows with reticulated tracery, to each face, all blocked with
ironstone. Corbel table and castellated ashlar parapet with arrow slits. Short
octagonal lead spire with weathervane. Undercroft of former college buildings is
attached to north of tower and vestry and has asphalt roof. 2 square-head
windows to east elevation. Interior: 4-bay nave arcade of early/mid C13
double-chamfered arches of limestone and ironstone with quatrefoil piers. Piers
differ. Double chamfered chancel arch with circular responds and similar double
chamfered arches to north and south chapels and transepts, south transept has
octagonal responds. Base of C12 piers to south arcade. C19 roof structures.
Double piscina to right of altar with squint, niche and C12 aumbry alongside.
Trefoil-head tomb recess to left of altar, also niche. Aumbry with ogee head,
pinnacles and flower decoration to left of north chapel altar. Encased shaft in
south chapel wall. Various masonry fragments to left and right of altar in south
chapel. Large blank arcade, with 3 short shafts, to east wall of north transept.
Monuments: Richard Frysby, first Dean of College, brass panel in north chapel
floor. John Pyel died 1380 and wife, alabaster chest tomb with quatrefoil panels
and shields and 2 mutilated recumbent effigies, right of south chapel. C14
alabaster effigy of recumbent lady on plain chest tomb to left of south chapel
is said to be wife of Sir Thomas Cheney. Grey marble Perpendicular chest tomb,
now reset as south aisle altar has canopy over with 4 ogee-head arches, 3
quatrefoil panels with shields to base, pendant-vaulted ceiling and brass
matrices to back wall. Maria Leyborne, died 1690; inscribed tablet with scrolls
and armorial device over, left wall of north chapel. Henry Wyckly died 1728 and
wife; arch-head plaque with panelled pilasters alongside. Simon Taylor died
1786; oval tablet with surround to right of north chapel altar. Howes and Lucas
family; mid C19 tablet north wall of north chapel. Ann Taylor died 1773; marble
tablet with urn in north transept. Simon Taylor, died 1819; marble tablet in
south transept. 8 C14/C15 stalls in chancel, with 4 poppy heads and one
misercord. Early C20 stained glass east window by Kempe. Early C20 glass in
south chapel, one north aisle and south chapel windows. Interior of porch has 4
doors, at cardinal points, with moulded stone surrounds. Door into nave has 3
niches to either side. Belfry has 2 inscribed tablets to rebuilding of tower.
Rib vaulted undercofts below south transept. College was established for a Dean,
5 secular canons and 4 clerks. It was dissolved at the Dissolution of the
Monasteries.
(Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.267; V.C.H.: Northamptonshire, Vol.3,
p.207; Rev. L.V. Rogers, St. Peters Church).

Listing NGR: SP9478770648

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526785

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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