Description

HECKINGTON CHURCH STREET
TF 1444-1544
(east side)
10/52
Church of
St. Andrew
1/2/67
G.V. I

Parish church. c.1307, later C14, restored in 1867 by Kirk and
Parry and in 1887-8 by J. Fowler of Louth. Limestone ashlar,
Westmorland slate and lead roofs. West tower and spire,
clerestoried nave, north and south aisles, transepts, chancel,
south porch and north chapel. Tall 3 stage tower with moulded
chamfered plinth, stepped and gabled setback buttresses, moulded
string courses, plain parapet. Set back spire with tall angle
buttresses, 3 tiers of gabled lucarnes in alternating directions.
In the belfry stage are tall 2 light louvred openings with deeply
moulded pointed surrounds and quatrefoils. In the lower parts of
the buttresses are crocketted gabled nichescontaining statues.
Tall 3 light west window with cusped trefoil heads to the lights
with trefoils and quatrefoils over in a moulded pointed surround,
the arch dying into the reveals. Above are 2 plain rectangular
lights. The north aisle has a chamfered plinth and a plain
parapet with stepped setback buttresses. It contains 3 light
reticulated traceried windows, one to the west and 3 to the
south, also a pointed doorway with moulded head dying into the
reveals. The clerestory has 4 three light windows with tight
reticulated tracery to the heads and chamfered pointed surrounds.
The north transept has a large 5 light C19 window to the north
with C19 cusped geometric tracery and chamfered surround. To the
east are 2 three light windows with reticulated tracery matching
that of the clerestory. In the eastern most bay of the nave are 2
C14 windows. The lower is of 3 lights with cusped mouchettes,
the upper is also of 3 lights with goemetric tracery to the head.
Both have wave moulded surrounds. The chancel has a bell moulded
plinth and an openwork-parapet with sinuous cusped tracery
beneath which is a concave moulded string course with fleurons.
The crocketted gabled buttresses contain ogee headed statue
niches, also with crocketted gables and human head stops. The
nave wall has 2 three light C14 windows with elaborate cusped
mouchettes and quatrefoils to the heads, both with wave moulded
surrounds. The lower north chapel also has a moulded plinth with
gabled niches as well as tall panelled octagonal crocketted
pinnacles. Beneath is a crypt lit by 2 plain rectangular
windows. In the west wall is a C19 pointed doorway and to the
north is a recut 2 light window with cusped ogee heads to the
lights. In the east wall a pointed 2 light window with cusped
Y tracery lights the crypt and above is a C19 window, also of 2
lights, with stiff mouchettes. The chancel east window is tall
and broad of 7 slender lights and in its head is a virtuoso
display of intersecting cusped tracery with daggers, mouchettes,
quatrefoils and lozenges in the wildest profusion. The north
wall of the chancel contains 3 light windows, tall with pointed
heads containing daggers and quatrefoils, each with a moulded
surround. There is also an ogee headed priest's door with
floriate finial. In the easternmost bay of the nave two windows
balance those to the north, there is also an ornate octagonal
pinnacle with richly crocketted gables. The south transept has 2
three light geometric traceried windows to the east with pointed
wave moulded surrounds. The buttresses are gabled with richly
crocketted statue niches and projecting human headed stops. To
the north is a large 5 light window with beautiful cusped flowing
tracery forming mouchettes, trefoils and quatrefoils, all in a
wave moulded surround. The south aisle has 3 three light
reticulated traceried windows in chamfered pointed surrounds and
a plain parapet. The clerestorey has 3 windows of 3 lights with
geometric tracery to the pointed heads. At the west side is a
narrow 4 centred arched doorway with chamfered surround. The
gabled south porch has a moulded plinth and set back angle
buttresses with richly crocketted niches and floriate finials.
The pointed and richly moulded outer arch has triple shafted
reveals. In the gable are statues and shields against a
background of seaweed carving with a cusped sinuous motif framing
panels with a recut Christ in Majesty at the centre. Side
benches and original cross braced roof timbers in the porch. The
inner doorway has a moulded pointed head and single shafted
reveals. Above is a statue bracket with carved foliage. The C19
door is enriched with cusped tracery. Interior: tall triple
chamfered tower arch with filleted triple responds and annular
capitals. 4 bay north and south nave arcades, octagonal with
quirked angles and engaged annular capitals, double chamfered
arches with human head label stops. There are single similar
lower arches-into the transepts. In the south transept is a
triple sedilia with cusped and moulded arches supported on
circular shafts with foliate capitals. Beyond is a trefoil
headed piscina and an armorial statue bracket. In the east wall
is a plain rectangular aumbry. In the east wall of the north
transept is a single triangular headed niche. The tall chancel
arch has a double wave moulded head and engaged triple filleted
reveals with engaged annular capitals. The richly furnished
chancel has on the south side a triple sedilia and a double
piscina, and on the north an Easter sepulchre, a doorway to the
north chapel and the builder's tomb. The large triple sedilia
has cusped ogee arches supported on moulded piers with foliate
capitals. Above are crocketted gablets with ballflowers against
a background of seaweed carving. In the upper parts of the
rectangular frame are carvings of Christ in Majesty, the Blessed
Virgin Mary and saints. The double piscina has cusped ogee
arches in the manner of reticulated tracery. Paried engaged side
shafts support a crocketted canopy with large floriate knop and
seated human figure label stops. The Easter sepulchre, one of
the most celebrated English examples, consists of a small
triangular central niche in a tripartite stone framework. The
panels are framed by roll moulded shafts terminating in
pinnacles. below the niche the Sleeping Soldiers recline beneath
crocketted gables. To either side are pairs of figures and above
the Risen Christ is attended by censing angels. This last scene
is also contained within a crocketted gable from which sinuous
strapwork friezes run down to either side. The upper panels are
filled with seaweed carving and overall is a cornice with
monsters. to the left of the Easter sepulchre is the door to the
north chapel which has a richly moulded slightly pointed head
dying into the reveals. Beyond again is the tomb of Richard de
Potesgrave, builder of the chancel. It is a broad moulded and
pointed tomb recess with elaborate ogee cusping to the underside.
The effigy is clad in full vestments, but the face has been
despoiled. The edge of the slab supporting the effigy has a
hollow chamfer containing ballflowers with brattishing.
Fittings: C19 limestone ashlar and marble reredos in C14 style
with triple cusped ogee arches and crocketted gables flanked by
blind cusped arcades. Otherwise all fittings are C19 apart from
the fine C14 font which is of octagonal tub form with cusped and
crocketted gabled arches to the panelled sides with a zone of
fleurons above and 3 circular steps beneath. A notable stained
glass east window of 1897 by T. F. Curtis illustrates the Te Deum
and the Benedicite. There is other glass dated 1915 by Curtis,
Wood and Hughes dated 1909 in the chancel and in the nave and yet
more in the south transept dated 1922. Monuments: apart from
the de Potesgrave tomb in the chancel, there is a C14 effigy to a
civilian in the north transpet. The figure appears as a praying
bust in a quatrefoil surround. Also in the north transept is a
matrix for a double brass to a C15 knight and lady with
armorials, and in the north aisle a slab with marginal black
letter inscription. There are 2 similar C15 slabs in the central
aisle before the chancel arch.

Listing NGR: TF1428844117

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17530901

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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