Details
WALTHAM HIGH STREET
(South side)
SK 8025 Church of St Mary
30/412 Magdelene
1.1.68
GV I
Parish church. C13 and C14, with Norman origins. Clerestory added and
tower completed in present form C15. C17 and C18 repairs and alteration.
Altered and restored from 1839. Nave extended one bay and further
renovations 1850 by G G Scott. Coursed squared limestone with limestone
dressings; lead roofs. Chancel, vestry, central tower, transepts, aisled
nave and S porch. 3-bay chancel has 3-light E window with Decorated-style
tracery, hood mould and label stops. 3-light window to N with 4-centred
head and Perpendicular tracery. 3-light windows to S with Perpendicular
tracery. That to middle of S side is lower and has 4-centred head, those
either side have brattished transoms and all have hood moulds. Small
blocked rectangular window near S-E angle with chamfered surround. Blocked
priests' door to S. Chancel has chamfered plinth, moulded string courses
including one at level of springing of principal chancel windows, and
diagonal off-set buttresses. Datestone inscribed RB/1734 to E gable,
another, probably of Coade stone with Gillett coat of arms and dated 1841.
Vestry has 3-light E window with straight head and hood mould. Stone stack
to N-E angle with octagonal stone flue. 2-light window to N with
Perpendicular tracery and hood mould. Door to N with round-arched head,
slight chamfer, imposts, diamond to key block and hood mould; ridged and
studded door with ornamental hinges and ironwork dated 1839. N transept has
4-light N window with Decorated tracery and hood mould and label stops.
Large ironstone off-set buttress to N-W angle. S transept has 4-light S
window with reticulated tracery to 3-light E window with 4-centred head and
Perpendicular tracery, both with hood moulds. Large off-set buttress and
octagonal stone flue to S-W corner. 3-stage tower has cast-iron clock faces
to middle stage dated 1839. 2-light bell-chamber openings with
Perpendicular tracery, transoms and hood moulds. Frieze of quatrefoils and
lozenges to base of plain stone-coped parapet, gargoyles and panelled and
crocketed pinnacles to angles. Tall recessed, crocketed spire with 2 tiers
of lucarnes in alternating directions. Nave has clerestory of 5 windows
with Perpendicular tracery, basket-arched heads and hood moulds. 4-light W
window to nave with cusped intersecting tracery. Doorway below with 3
orders of filleted shafts and many moulded arch. N aisle has 3-light window
to N-E with perpendicular tracery, triangular head and hood mould. Middle
window of paired lancets with hood mould. Blocked N door with round-arched
head and imposts (renewed). S aisle has triple lancet window to S-W and 3-
light window to middle S side with stepped pointed heads to lights, both
with hood moulds. C19 W bays of aisles have 2-light windows, with
quatrefoils to heads. S doorway, renewed, has round-arched head with roll
moulding and one order of shafts with fluted capitals. C19 S porch has
shafts and double wave-moulded head and 1-light windows E and W. W end of
nave is flanked by off-set buttresses. Diagonal off-set buttresses to W end
of aisles which have plain stone-coped parapets. Foliated stone crosses to
E and W gables.
Interior: Chancel has piscina and credence shelf with trefoiled niches
above, and 3-seat sedilia with crocketed ogee-arched heads and fleurons.
Doorway to vestry with similar head and decoration. S transept chapel has
large trefoil-headed piscina. Nave has 5-bay arcades, of which 3
easternmost bays are original. Octagonal piers with moulded bases and
capitals, and double-chamfered arches, polygonal responds. Perpendicular
roof, extended C19, with arch-braced tie beams, angels bearing shields to
intermediate rafters and carved stone corbel heads bearing wall posts.
Font: C13 with octagonal bowl which is decorated with shallow attached
shafts and interlacing beaded round arches and leaf forms in arches and one
with Latin cross in mandorla. Octagonal shaft with similar decoration.
Reredos: Tile and mosaic with central panel showing Last Supper. 1877, by
Powell. Two brass chandeliers, the smaller with two closely-spaced tiers of
5 branches, dated 1741 and the gift of William Love. The larger has 2 tiers
of 7 branches, dove and gilded wrought-iron support, presented 1834; early
C18 from Grantham Church. Stain-glass chancel and aisle windows.
Monuments: Iarge grey Tournai marble incised slab in vestry with worn
effigy of priest, vested for mass. White marble diamond-shaped wall
monument to Jane Greenfield, d. 1803.
Buildings of England, Leics and Rutland, 1984, p. 417-8. Guide by Rev. J.
Hickling and D. Hurton (no date).
Listing NGR: SK8025425049
