Details
SK 9211 - 9311 EXTON EXTON PARK
5/56 Church of Saints
Peter & Paul
14.6.54
I
Large medieval Parish Church, restored by J.L. Pearson in 1851-3. Of the
exterior, the tall west tower is of the early C14, irregularly coursed ashlar,
3 stages with flat gabled buttresses to each stage, paired lights to bell
chamber on west side, parapetted with large octagonal corner pinnacles and
gargoyles below the parapet. It is surmounted by an octagonal lantern and
ashort spire, rebuilt in the 1840's, after being struck by lightning in 1841
Nave of 4 bays of coursed squared rubble, with a parapetted clerestory and
fine traceried windows by Pearson. Small transepts. Chancel in High
Victorian 'Cottage' style by Pearson with overhanging eaves, coped east gable,
stone tiled steeply pitched roof, frieze to eaves cornice, ridge cresting
to roof. Fine traceried lights with slender shafts and hoodmoulds. East wall
of chancel contains 2 niches, one on either side of the east window, Pearson's
restoration of an earlier feature. The south porch is also in this style,
the buttresses continue each wall face, overhanging eaves to steeply
pitched roof, coped gable bearing a cross. (This cross and coping also
found on end of transepts and east end of nave). The junction of porch and
main wall is marked by a hoodmould terminating in small dragons. Within,
the porch has sturdy cusped timbered roof. N. vestry is another example
of the cottage style with an ornate expressed chimney. West ends of aisles
have decorated Y-tracery windows, that to north blocked. North doorway a
trouble chamfered arch set in a triangular hoodmould with trefoils in the
angle. The hoodmould is a continuation of the sill course. Inside, the
restoration involved extensive, but meticulous reinstatement
of existing work, but the main structure is substantially medieval, though
possibly rebuilt. Thus, the north arcade is the earliest (late C13).
Cylindrical shafts have stiff-leaf capitals, grotesque masks in the
eastern-most and there are 2-plain banded capitals with nail head decoration.
Foliate corbels to arcading. The south arcade has slightly later clustered
columns but is otherwise similar. All windows as restored by Pearson
(except w window s aisle). Late C13 chancel arch with cylindrical shafts and
stiff-leaf. Chancel has simple sedile in south wall, and 2 stained glass
window - the east window, by A. Gibbs, commemorates Charles Earl of
Gainsborough, erected by his tenants in 1866. The south window, by
Clayton and Bell is a memorial to the daughter of Sir G. Noel, who died in
1816. The altar rails seem to be by Pearson. All the interior roofs, nave
aisles and chancel, are Pearsons work: strong cusped timbering, well
wrought in complex.structures. There are many (restored) corbels
throughout and particularly fine series of angles in the chancel.
Exton Church is particularly remarkable for its monuments. The earliest is
a table tomb in the chancel: Nicholas Grene, late C14: Incised cross on
marble slab on base with ogee-arched niches. Also in the chancel, a wall
monument by Nollekens: Baptist, 4th Earl and Elizabeth his wife, d. 1751
and 1771. A reclining female figure with a cornucopia, on a sarcophagus
backed by an obelisk with medallions and putti. Chancel N. wall, memorial
to James Harrington and his wife Lucy, 1591. A large standing monument
with 2 kneeling figures at a pri-dieu in a double aedicule. Wrought in
various marbles and enriched with low-relief carving, strapwork etc.
surmounted by obelisk, and arms. Stylistically linked with this, the
SK 9211 - 9311 EXTON EXTON PARK
5/56 Church of Saints
Peter & Paul (Cont)
14.6.54
I
S. transept memorial,to Robert Kelway, his daughter, wife and their 2
children. Made of various marbles, a large standing wall monument of 1580,
richly decorated and with a recumbant and kneeling figures of the whole
family, in an aedicule, capped by obelisk, arms, etc. Grander than the
chancel monument, the 2 seem clearly linked. This memorial is attributed by Pevsner
to Nicholas Johnson and elsewhere (Rutland Magazine Vol. III) to Nicholas
Stone. In the N. transept the grandest of C11 the monument commemorates
the 3rd Viscount Campden, Baptist Noel of 1683. A huge piece in black
and white marble, with a tall base on which stand obelisks, on balls capped by
2 black urns and a large open pediment. Within, are the Viscount and his
4th wife in effigy and various lowreliefs, depicting his previous wives and
19 children, in Roman dress, completed at least by Grinling Gibbons.
In north aisle, memorial to Anne, wife of Lord Bruce of Kinloss, died 1627,
a very classical monument for its date, black and white marble table tomb
with shrouded effigy. Also, another wall monument by Nollekens 1787, for
lieutenant Lord General Bennett Noel.
Also of note: the font, late C14 octagonal with trefoiled niches on each
face and carved heads in the spandrels.
See Rutland Magazine Vol. III p. 193 : excerpt from specification for
restoration.
Listing NGR: SK9205211192
