Description

TL09SE, TL0791
6/154, 15/154
23/05/67

WARMINGTON
CHURCH STREET
(North side)
Church of St. Mary the Virgin

GV I

Church. Late C12 and C13 restored 1850 and 1876 by Benjamin Ferry and Sir
G.G.Scott; organ chamber added 1892 by Ferry. Regular coursed limestone with
ashlar tower, spire and dressings. Lead and Collyweston slate roofs. Aisled
nave, chancel, north and south porches, organ chamber/vestry and west tower.
South elevation of chancel of 2-window range of 2- and 3-light windows with
hollow reveals, under 4-centred-arch heads. Central priest door, now blocked. 2
stage ashlar buttress to right of centre and similar clasping buttress at
corner. Steeply gabled roof with Collyweston slates, ashlar parapets and
finial. 5-light east window has hollow reveals and 4-centred-arch head. North
elevation of chancel of 3 bays, 2-window range, of 2-light windows with
quatrefoil circles. Left bay is blank. Priest door to left of centre has
semi-circular head and projecting square capital to right side. 2-stage ashlar
buttresses between bays and gabled clasping buttress to left corner. Ashlar
parapets. South aisle of five bays, 4-window range. 3-light windows to left and
right bays are formed as triple lancets with roll mouldings, 2 orders of shafts
and dogtooth decoration to window heads to right. 2-stage buttresses between
bays and single-stage buttresses at ends. Relieving arch, below window, to far
left. Lean-to roof with ashlar parapet. 3-light west window has hollow reveals
and 4-centred-arch head. Cl9 organ/vestry chamber is attached to east end of
south aisle. One-bay extension of limestone ashlar with 3-light south window
under 4-centred-arch head and lancet to east. 2-stage buttress at corner and
plain parapet with chimney at corner. South porch, restored 1876, to centre bay
of south aisle has hollowed and moulded outer doorway with 4 orders of shafts
and dogtooth decoration. Hood mould with label stops. Inner doorway is similar
with 3 orders of shafts. Single-stage buttresses flanking outer doorway and
2-stage buttresses at corners. Shallow gabled roof with ashlar parapets and
finial. Triple arcading to inside walls of porch has detached columns with
fleur-de-lis at each spiringing. Quadripartite ribb vault. Studded plank door
has strap hinges. North aisle of 5-window range of 2-light windows with
quatrefoil circles. Centre window is truncated by north porch. 2-stage ashlar
buttresses between bays. Gabled clasping buttress to left corner. Square turret
set diagonally across right corner gives access to roof and has plain parapet
and 2-stage buttress alongside. Lean-to roof with ashlar parapet. 3-light east
window. Central north porch, restored 1876, has chamfered and moulded outer
doorway, with 2 orders of shafts, and similar inner doorway with one order of
shafts. Quadripartite rib vault. Gabled clasping buttresses and shallow gabled
roof with ashlar parapet. Nave clerestory of 5-window range of 2-light windows
with quatrefoil circles. Small circular windows between 3 centre bays. Shallow
gabled roof with ashlar parapet and finial. Parapet is continued down the
eastern angles of the clerestory. Cusped circles to east wall of nave, to either
side of chancel roof. West tower of 4 stages with plinth, the upper stage is
subdivided. 3-stage ashlar angle buttresses. West doorway has 2-centred-arch
head with inner trefoil head and 4 orders of shafts. Bands of dogtooth and
alternate rosette decoration. Blocked opening above west door has moulded arch
head, one order of shafts and foliage decoration. Lancet windows to north and
south faces of lower stage. Trefoil circles to north, south and west faces of
second stage. Upper stage is ashlar with large 2-light bell-chamber openings
with 3 orders of shafts, trefoil circle, roll mouldings and dogtooth decoration.
Corbel table above is decorated with trefoils and quatrefoils. Broach spire has
3 tiers of lucarnes. The lower 2 tiers have 2-light openings with shafts and
dogtooth decoration. Interior: 5-bay nave arcade of stepped and moulded arches.
The north arcade has octagonal piers and the south arcade circular piers.
Similar chancel arch has single shafts with stiff leaf capitals. Triple
chamfered tower arch has octagonal responds. Nave roof is a C13 wooden
quadripartite rib vault with 10 carved bosses. The vaulting shafts are similar
to the chancel arch. Aisle roofs retains some original cross beams. North aisle
roof has carved bosses and corbels and date 1650. C19 barrel vaulted chancel
roof. 5-light window with plain mullions is now open to the organ/vestry
chamber. Carved fragments set in wall to left and right of east window.
Square-head recess to left of altar. Priests door, to left, has moulded
surround. South aisle has piscina with trefoil head and pointed hood, also a
holy water stoup. 2 tomb recesses also in south aisle. Octagonal font dated 1662
has 4 scroll brackets supporting bowl. Perpendicular wood screen, restored C19.
Paraclose screen, in north aisle, has early Renaissence detail with some
original linenfold panelling. Reredos behind altar incorporates fragments of
screen. C15 pulpit restored C19. Benches to north west of nave have alternate
high and low ends with crude fleur-de-lis. Stained glass: late C19 early C20
east window and south window of chancel. Monuments: plain chest tomb to north
wall of chancel. Sir Robert Kirkham; chest tomb, to north wall of north aisle,
about C1500, decorated with quatrefoils and panel tracery. Thomas Elmes, died
1664; oval wreath with flanking detached columns, and broken pediment over,
north wall of north aisle. Robert Moyer died 1719; and his sons; inscribed
tablets with cherubs heads above, south wall of south aisle. Sarah Cuthbert died
1723; inscribed tablet with bust set in open segmental pediment, to south wall
of chancel. Tablet on north wall of north aisle describing transfer of lands to
Warmington Vicarage 1735-41. Various inscribed floor tablets and C19 wall
tablets.
(Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: p444; VCH: Northamptonshire, vol.3;
pl13; RCHM: An Inventory of Architectural Monuments in North Northamptonshire:
p157)

Listing NGR: TL0773691010

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526822

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)