Description

SP9171 FINEDON CHURCH HILL
7/10 (West side)
23/09/50 Church of St Mary the Virgin
(Formerly listed as Church of
St. Mary)

Church. Mid C14 and C19. Squared coursed ironstone with limestone dressings and
lead roof. Aisled nave, chancel, transepts, south porch and west tower. South
chancel of 3-window range, of 3-liqht ogee-head windows with Reticulated
tracery. 3 large, 4-stage buttresses between windows. Similar 5-light ogee-head
east window and flanking buttresses. Square-head gate opening below window gives
access to the Dolben family vault. Shallow gable roof with plain ashlar parapet.
North chancel elevation similar to south with vestry attached to east end in
similar style. Datestone above vestry door S.W.P./Vicar/AD/1841. South transept
of 2-window range to east and one-window range to west with 3-light windows with
Y-tracery, 3-light ogee-head south window has Reticulated tracery. Shallow gable
roof with castellated parapet and gargoyles. North transept is similar with
castellated turret at intersection with chancel. South aisle of 3-window range
of 3-light ogee-head windows with Reticulated tracery and similar west window.
Lean-to roof with castellated parapet and gargoyles. 2-storey south porch,
between windows, has C14 roll moulded openings, quadripartite ceiling vault,
ribbed and studded doors, and C18 wrought iron gates. 4-light first floor window
with transom. Shallow gabled roof with castellated parapets and gargoyles. North
aisle is of 2-window range similar to south. 3- and 4-stage buttresses at all
corners and between window ranges. Nave clerestory of 8-window range of 2-light
ogee-head windows. Shallow gable roof with castellated parapet. West tower of 4
stages with 3-stage angle buttresses to lower 3 stages. West door has ogee-head,
roll moulding and flanking pinnacles. 3-light window above has Reticulated
tracery. 2-light north and south windows to third stage have decorated frieze
above. Pairs of tall, 2-light, bell-chamber openings to each face of fourth
stage have frieze of quatrefoils and ogres above. Castellated parapet with
recessed spire above 2 tiers of lucarnes. Various inscribed tablets attached to
chancel and transept walls. Interior: 3-bay nave arcade of quatrefoil piers and
arches with sunk moulding. Two C20 piers on south side have square demi-shafts.
Additional one bay transept arcade has a 6-shafted north pier and a quatrefoil
pier to south with a foliated capital. Strainer arch across nave between nave
and transept arcade has an inverted arch parapet with castellation and
quatrefoils and circles and lozenges in the spandrels. Angel heads at the
springing. Chancel arch similar to nave arcade with foliated capitals. Triple
stepped and chamfered tower arch is only partially visible. Chancel roof is
mainly C14 with arch tie beams and bosses. Similar aisle roofs and panelled
transept roofs with moulded beams. C19 chancel roof with evidence of C14
vaulting to side walls. Remains of triple sedilia and piscina to south wall of
chancel. C19 stone reredos below east window and stone chancel screen of c.1858.
C12 octagonal font probably recarved in C18 and mounted on C19 columns. Fine
organ case on west gallery is c.1717 by Christopher Schrider decorated with
leaf carving, scrolls, cherubs and open pediments. C19 stained glass to east
window, 2 south and one north chancel windows and 2 transept east windows and
one north window. One south window of 1847 may be by Wailes. Monuments out
transept, 2 marble tablets to Reverend James Affleck, died 1784 and his family.
North aisle floor: black marble tablet to Johannes Newcomen died 1727. North
aisle west wall: marble tablet by John Hunt to William Roberts died 1750. South
aisle west wall; marble tablet by William Cox to Sussana Payne died 1766. Dolben
vault under east end of chancel; 2 busts by John Hunt, one is in a niche, the
other is a roundel to Mary Dolben died 1710 and Elizabeth Dolben died 1736. 14
other marble plaques to members of the Dolben family are visible from entrance
to vault. Belfry has C17 painted inscription on wall.
(Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.209).

Listing NGR: SP9123971966

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17527317

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

• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets