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

• Wikidata Q17526940

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Recommended Books

• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)