Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul

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

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

187340

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Rutland Magazine in Rutland Magazine, Vol. 3, (), 193

Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 26 Leicestershire,

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