Description

LITCHBOROUGH BANBURY ROAD
SP65SW (South side)
6/116 Church of St. Martin
17/05/60

GV II*

Church. C13, C14, some work of C15; restored 1883, by Albert Hartshorne. Coursed
ironstone rubble, coursed squared ironstone, ironstone and limestone dressings,
lead roofs. Chancel, nave, south aisle, south porch and west tower. 2-bay
chancel has 5-light Perpendicular east window with straight head, 3-light
windows north and south with reticulated tracery and ogee-arched heads and
1-light low side windows north and south with cusped ogee-arched heads.
Chamfered arched priest's door to south. Chamfered plinth, offset diagonal
buttresses, offset buttresses between bays and chamfered string course at sill
level stepped over low-side windows and door as hood mould. Nave has 4-bay
clerestory of quatrefoil windows, except for 2-light straight-headed window at
east end either side which have ogee-arched lights; all in square chamfered
stone surrounds. 3-light straight-headed windows to north side of nave with
pointed trefoil heads to lights of middle window, reticulated tracery to those
either side. Many-moulded north door with shafts to outer arch, moulded capitals
and hood mould. Carved stone above with heads and ithyphallic figure. offset
buttresses between bays, offset diagonal buttress to east angle. South aisle has
3-light east window with intersecting tracery, a 2-light window with Y-tracery
to south-east, and 2-light straight-headed windows with trefoil-headed lights to
east of porch and at west end of aisle; lancet window to west side of porch.
South door similar to north door in gabled porch with double-chamfered doorway,
blacked windows north and south and obelisk finial to gable. 3-stage west tower
has chamfered west door, cusped ogee-headed 1-light window above, polygonal
stair turret to south, one-light window to middle stage north with cusped head
and 2-light Decorated bell-chamber openings. Diagonal offset buttresses and
battlmented parapet. Plain stone-coped parapets to rest of church. All windows
and doors have hood moulds, except for clerestory and porch windows. Interior:
chancel has ogee-arched piscina and trefoil-headed sedilia. Double-chamfered
chancel arch with polygonal responds and moulded capitals. Nave has 4-bay
double-chamfered south arcade with octagonal piers, polygonal responds and
moulded capitals; part of round-arched head of former clerestory. window now
blocked. South or Foxley aisle has piscina with pointed trefoil head.
Triple-chamfered tower arch, 2 outer arches dying into wall. Tie-beam roof to
nave dated 1814. Plain round font with C17 octagonal pyramidal cover with ball
finials. 7-sided C17 pulpit. One panelled box pew (hall pew), rest C19
incorporating cut-down box pew panelling. 3 hatchments, oil on canvas. Medieval
stained glass to heads of 2 windows on north side. Shield in head of lancet
window to south-west with symbol of Trinity, probably also medieval. C19 stained
glass window to south aisle and tower: east window of 1889. Monuments: brass
plate on plain slab in nave to Henry Boughton d.1614. Wall monument and
alabaster effigy on tomb chest to Sir John Needham d.1618. Wall monument is
dated 1633 and has gadrooned surround to inscription. flanked by columns, apron
with cherub's head, vine trail frieze and cartouche of arms above, flanked by
finials incorporating other smaller cartouches. Another inscription on
tomb-chest where Sir John Needham is referred to as GENTLEMAN PENSIONER UNTO
THE LATE QUEENE/ELIZABETH OF HAPPIE MEMORIE AND AFTERWARD UNTO OUR LATE
GOVERAIGNE LORD KING JAMES' Horizontal oval white marble wall monument to
Thomas Grant d,1803. Wall 'monument to Edward Grant, d.1812, and Jane Grant,
d,t?il, signed C. Prasperi, London, with mourning cherub leaning on down-turned
torch, seated on inscription plaque. Almost life-sized angel on plinth erected
by Edward Grant, 1907, recording names on plinth of all members of family buried
in vault below, Female angel has upturned left arm and holds scroll in right
hand inscribed UNTIL/THE DAY/DAWN.
(Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, pp.291 and 292; Kelly's Directory for
Northamptonshire, 1928; 'Litchborough in Northamptonshire', A short history of
village and church (leaflet).

Listing NGR: SP6326654257

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17545485

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

• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)