Description

SP 4293 NE TOWN OF HINCKLEY CHURCH WALK (south
side)

16/43 Shown on O.S. map as
Church Street
Church of the Assumption
8.3.63 of St Mary (formerly listed
under Barwell)

GV II*

Parish church. Early C14 with late Cl5-early C16 clerestory; spire
rebuilt in 1788 by John Cheshire; the aisles were widened and transepts
added in 1875-6 (south) and 1877-8 (north) by William Smith; the
chancel was restored in 1863 by William Gillet of Leicester and in
1877-8 by Ewan Christian. Coursed freestone blocks; rock faced ashlar
characterises Smith's work; roofs of low pitch. West tower, 5-bay
nave, with aisles and transeptal chapels, 2-bay chancel with western
chapels. Early C14 West Tower; 2 stages with angle buttresses, belfry
offset and crenellated parapet on a hollow-moulded string containing
carved fleurons. The corners of the parapet are capped by panelled and
crocketed pinnacles. At the south-east corner the tower is thickened
to accommodate a staircase lit by ogee-headed loops. 2-centred west
doorway and above, a 4-light window, also 2-centred, with cusped
intersecting tracery and scroll-moulded head with block-stops. Tall,
2-light transomed belfry openings with cinquefoil-headed lights and a
single reticulation beneath the 2-centred arch; concave half
round-moulded surround. Octagonal steeple with roll-moulded angles and
3 tiers of lucarnes. Nave and aisles: The aisles have buttresses at
the bay divisions, plain parapets with moulded strings and coping and
pointed 2-light windows with decorated tracery. Late C15/early C16
clerestory windows, each with 3 cinquefoil-headed lights beneath a
four-centred arch; hollow chamfered parapet string and crenellated
parapet. Double gabled transepts with a 3-light window beneath each
gable and a central buttress. Chancel: Pointed side windows of 3
cinquefoil-headed lights with panel tracery; 5-light sub-arcuated east
window with panel tracery and hood mould ending in grotesque heads. The
chancel chapel windows are in the same style as those of the aisles and
transepts. Interior: C14 five-bay arcades with double chamfered
pointed arches, the outer chamfers terminating in carved heads, those
on the south side probably C19, those on the north side, medieval;
octagonal columns with moulded capitals and bases. High 4-centred
tower arch with chamfered surround. High 2-centred chancel arch with
double chamfered surround. At the east end of each aisle 2 pointed
arches give access to the transeptal chapels and one to the chancel
chapel. C15/C16 nave roof with brattished tie beams, each with a
carved corbel on the soffit. The tie beams are arch-braced, the braces
springing from large wooden corbels carved as angels bearing shields;
panel tracery within the narrow space between tie beams and roof; one
pair of purlins and a ridge piece, all moulded. The steeply pitched
C14 roof line is visible on the west wall. C19 lean-to roofs in a
contemporary style to the nave roof. C15/C16 chancel roof, restored,
in a similar style to the nave roof except that the brackets spring
from wooden shafts which stand on corbels.

Fixtures and fittings: C19 west gallery within the tower; a 4-centred
arch with panelled and carved spandrels supports a Gothic-style gallery
rail. C19 commandment boards to each side of the tower arch. C19
stone font with clustered column base and cylindrical basin. Parish
chest inscribed "HINCKLEY TOWNE CHEST / AND / 1613 / NOVE / 4"; it has
curved feet and scrolled brackets. C19 rood loft in a late Gothic
style; pendants alternate with traceried arches; open work gallery rail
surmounted by a crucifix and the flanking figures of Mary Mother of
Jesus and Mary Magdalene. A pointed doorway in the south-east corner
of the nave opens to the stair leading up to the loft. Adjacent to
this door is a C19 octagonal pulpit with marble corner shafts and
traceried sides. Good quality C19 choir stalls, C19 altar rail and C19
reredos in a medieval style; traceried ogee headed niches containing
carvings of Christ (centre) and the Apostles. Piscina with 4-centred
arch and chamfered surround, and drop sill sedilia beneath the south
window with cinquefoil-headed panels on the back wall. Monuments:
brass of c.1490 to a civilian and one of his wives. John Oneby, died
1622; within an aedicule with Corinthian columns are the upper halves
of a man and woman; their children are depicted beneath. Stained
glass: East window of 1863 by Chance to a design by Sebastian Edwards;
north-east window of the north transept by Kempe, 1877. B.O.E. pp.
176-7.

Listing NGR: SP4271393823

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• St Mary's Church, Hinckley at Wikipedia
• St Mary's Church, Hinckley official website
• Wikidata Q17541155

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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