Description

APETHORPE MAIN STREET
TL0295 (South side)
18/21 Church of St. Leonard
23/05/67
GV I
Church. C14/C15, Mildmay Chapel 1621, tower dated 1633; restored C19. Regular
coursed and squared coursed limestone with ashlar dressings and ashlar porch and
tower. Lead roof. Aisled nave, chancel, south chapel, south porch and west
tower. South elevation of south chapel of 2-window range of 3-light windows with
4-centred arch-heads. 2-stage buttress between windows and similar clasping
buttresses at corners. Shallow gabled roof with plain ashlar parapets. 4-light
east window of south chapel is similar to south windows. Similar east window of
chancel has centre mullion missing and lower lights blocked. Gable end of
chancel is lower than south chapel. 2- stage buttress between east windows.
North elevation of chancel is a 2-window range of 3-light windows with 4-centred
arch-heads. 2-stage buttress between windows and similar clasping buttress at
corner. South aisle of 3 bays, 2-window range of 3-light windows similar to
chancel. 2-stage ashlar buttress between windows. Lean-to roof with plain ashlar
parapets. 3-light west window is similar to south windows. Gabled porch breaks
forward to left. Outer doorway has double chamfered 4-centred arch-head and
semi-circular responds. Inner doorway has similar head and moulded stone
surrounds. Panelled doors. Shallow niche above outer doorway and plain parapets.
North aisle of 3 bays, 2-window range of 3-light windows similar to chancel.
North door, in bay to right, has 4-centred arch-head and moulded stone surround.
2-stage ashlar buttresses between windows and similar clasping buttresses at
corners. Nave clerestory of 3-window range of 3-light windows with 4-centred
arch-heads. Lower lights of windows have been blocked. 3-stage unbuttressed west
tower has moulded plinth and moulded string courses, forming a set back at each
stage. Small plain arch-head west doorway has 2-light round-head window above.
Single-light west window in second stage. Staircase slits to lower 2 stages of
north face. 2-light bell-chamber openings to each face of upper stage have round
heads and moulded stone surrounds set in a square head recess. Narrow lattice
frieze, above, with gargoyles at corners. Castellated parapet and panelled
pinnacle bases at corners. Set-back octagonal spire with 2 tiers of lucarnes.
Interior: 3 bay nave arcade of double chamfered arches with semi-circular
responds, facing into each arch, and single chamfers facing into nave. Similar
chancel arch has plain corbelled responds. Chamfered and moulded tower arch with
polygonal responds. Plain inner arch. 3-bay arcade into south chapel, roll
moulding and flat underside to arches. Piers and responds have alternate flat
and roll moulded faces. Similar arch from south aisle to south chapel.
Perpendicular nave roof has arched braced principals and cross beams. Similar
aisle roofs adapted as lean-to structures. Chancel and south chapel roofs have
Kingpost trusses. Moulded King posts in south chapel. Panelled reredos behind
altar has pilasters. Fielded panelled dado in chancel. Tower screen, probably of
1633 has arch-head doorway, turned balusters and panelled base. C18 pulpit with
fielded and moulded panels. C18 font with small bowl on baluster. Painting of
Christ walking on the water by R.S. Lauder in chancel. Stained glass; reset
medieval fragments in south window of south chapel. East window of south chapel
c.1621 in Flemish style; east window of chancel c.1732 by I. Rowell of High
Wycombe. 2 early C20 windows in south aisle commemorate Brassey family who lived
at Apethorpe Hall early C20. Wall decoration: inside wall of south chapel has
elaborately carved limestone panels with rectangular panels, having some traces
of biblical text. Scroll surrounds and arrangement of drapes in spandrels of
arcades. Carved corbel in north-east corner of chancel. Fragments of wall
paintings above chancel arch. Monuments: Sir Richard Dalton, d.1442, alabaster
effigy in south-east corner of south chapel. Sir Anthony Mildmay, d.1617 and
wife, large and elaborate black and white marble monument in centre of south
chapel. Recumbent effigies on sarcophagus. 4 life-size figures of Piety,
Charity, Wisdom and Justice stand at the corners holding back canopy draperies
which fall from a circular lantern, with arched openings. Seated figures at
head, and flanking the lantern represent Faith, Hope and Charity. John Leïgh,
d.1627 black and white marble tablet to right of altar has flanking columns and
inverted broken pediment with recumbent figure to one side. Rowland Woodward to
left of altar is also black and white marble with flanking obelisks. Honorable
John Arthur Fane, died in infancy 1816, marble effigy of a baby in south chapel.
Various C19 tablets in south chapel and south aisle to Fane family who were
Earls of Westmorland and Lords Burghersh and who lived at Apethorpe Hall until
1904. Jacobean chest and 2 pieces of armour in south chapel. Silk Tabard mounted
in south aisle.
(Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: P83; RCHM: An Inventory of
Architectural Monuments in North Northamptonshire: p2)

Listing NGR: TL0249695701

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• St Leonard's Church, Apethorpe at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7593979

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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