Description

GRAFTON UNDERWOOD
SP9280 Church of St.James
1337-0/16/329
25/02/57
GV I
Parish church. Late C12/early C13, mid C14 chancel, some later
modification, restored 1896. Coursed limestone rubble with
ashlar spire and dressings (some of ironstone), Collyweston
stone slate roofs to chancel (steeply- pitched with coped
gable), porch and lean-to north of tower; nave and aisle roofs
not visible (probably of lead) Nave and aisles chancel with
north chapel, west tower and spire (with lean-to to north),
south porch. 3-stage west tower has plain parapet with single
gargoyle to each face. Lowest stage has a blocked round-headed
doorway and a single lancet to south, a similar lancet to
west, and a lean-to to north with lancets north (cusped) and
west. Middle stage has some herringbone work to west and a
single lancet to south. Bell stage has twin lancets in a
just-pointed surround with alternating ironstone and limestone
voussoirs to east and west, and 2-light decorated windows
north and south. Recessed octagonal spire with 2 tiers of
lucarnes on the cardinal faces. Nave and aisles have string
courses and plain parapets. 3 2-light square-headed
Perpendicular clerestory windows north and south. North aisle
has 3-light Perpendicular window with 4-centred arched head,
and simple chamfered arched doorway (blocked on interior
face) South aisle has similar windows south and east and a
long porch with steep ironstone entrance arch of 2 orders, the
inner carried on round shafts, and decorating wooden gate.
Arched south dioorway of 2 ornamented hollow- chamfered orders
and probably C18 panelled door. Chancel has diagonal
buttresses, 4-light Decorated east window with flowing tracery
and transom; on south side a 2-light window with uncusped
circle in the head and curious open cusping to the lights, a
chamfered arched doorway, a 3-light Decorated window with
flowing tracery and a tiny window with 2 miniature cusped
lights; and on north side a more conventional 2-light
decorated window with a quatrefoil head and cusped lights.
North chapel has a diagonal buttress, a window of 3 cusped
lights in a square surround to east and a 3-light window with
4-centred head to north. Interior: 3-bay nave. North arcade of
circular piers and square capitals with leaf volutes, square
abaci and round arches of 2 stepped orders. Labels. South
arcade of circular piers and circular capitals with stiff-leaf
anda band of tiny nail-head decoration, round arches of 2
orders (one stepped, one chamfered) Label with head stops.
Pointed tower arch of 2 stepped orders, the inner on plain
almost conical corbels. Pointed chancel arch of 2 chamfered
orders, the inner carried on corbels with band of nail-head
decoration. C19 roofs. Chancel has Perpendicular arch to north
chapel, Decorated piscina and sedilia with ogee heads, niches
to left and right of east window that to left with ogee arch,
Duck finials heads and ball flower and a second plain niche
above, that to right similar but smaller and partly renewed.
Very simple archedpiscina in south aisle. East window glass
of 1884 by E.R. Suffling, a memorial to John first baron
Castletown, south aisle east window glass C20, a memorial to
U.S.A.F. units which served at Grafton Underwood airfield in
World War II, Diamond pane glazing otherwise. Perpendicular
screen bases across chancel and north chapel. Panelled pulpit
dated 1728. Monuments include tomb chest with Gothic style
brass to Gertrude Fitzpatrick, d.1841, and 2 large which
marble tablets with figurative reliefs by the Westernacotts.
(Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: PP227-8).

Listing NGR: SP9219880226

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526940

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

• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)