Details
TL09SE
6/141
23/05/67
TANSOR
MAIN STREET
(South side)
Church of St. Mary the Virgin
(Formerly listed as Church of St. Mary)
GV II*
Church. Late C11, mid and late C12, early and mid C13 and early C14, restored
1886. Squared coursed limestone with lead and Collyweston slate roofs. Aisled
nave, chancel, north and south porches and west tower. South elevation of
chancel is of 2-window range with single lancet to left and 2-light window, with
carved label stops, to right. Single-stage ashlar buttress at corner. Steeply
gabled roof with Collyweston slates and ashlar gable parapet with finial.
3-light, Perpendicular, east window, with panel tracery, is flanked by
single-stage buttresses. North elevation of chancel is a 2-window range similar
to the south elevation. Corbelled and chamfered stringcourse above window heads
and rendered panel between windows. South aisle of 5 bays; 4-window range. Two
early C14, long, 3-light windows, to right, have roll moulded surrounds and
cusping to heads of outer lights. Double lancet window, to left of centre, and
single lancet to far left. 2-stage ashlar buttress to right corner and shallow
corner buttress to left. 3-light east window, similar to adjacent south windows
and small low lancet in west wall. C19 gabled porch projects from bay to left of
centre. Roll moulded and chamfered outer doorway. Transitional inner doorway has
one order of shafts and nailhead decoration. North aisle of 6 bays; 5-window
range. Small single lancet to far left and 2-light square-head window adjacent.
2 lancets to centre and a 2-light window, restored C19, to far right. String
course below window rises beneath sill of square-head window. 2-stage clasping
buttress to left corner and gabled clasping buttress to right corner. 2-light
east window has plate tracery. West elevation has small quatrefoil light.
Lean-to roof with ashlar gable parapets. C19 gabled porch, projects from bay to
right of centre, and is similar to south porch. Late C12 inner doorway has 2
orders of shafts with stiff leaf capitals and zig-zag decoration to arch. Nave
clerestory of 3-window range of 2-light square-head windows; those on the south
side have no tracery. Shallow gabled roof with plain ashlar parapets and finial.
Nest tower incorporates Cll, C12 and C13 work. 5 stages with plinth . The middle
2 stages are not deliniated on the north and south faces. Small single-light
window with crude arch head in second stage of north face. Similar,
squared-head, light to south face. Single-light, arch-head, window to west face
of third stage. 2-light bell-chamber openings, with central shaft, to each face
of upper stage are set in semi-circular arch-head recesses. Plain ashlar parapet
above. Large 4-stage buttress abutting west wall of south aisle has stair turret
in angle with the tower. 2 small lancet windows. Similar, irregular, 3-stage
buttress abutts west wall of north aisle. Interior: 5-bay nave arcade on south
side and 6-bay on north side. 2 bays on south side and 3 bays on north side are
C12. Semi-circular, double-stepped, arches with circular piers, square abaci and
scalloping. The underside of these arches has C19 painted leaf and scroll
decoration. Other bays have double-chamfered pointed arches with circular piers,
one has nailhead decoration to the capital. Semi-circular responds are all
similar with square abaci. The eastern arch of the north arcade is partially
blocked, to form a vestry, and has a doorway with 2-centred-arch head with
nailhead decoration. C19 wooden chancel arch with open traceried spandrels.
Original C12 tower arch is similar to the Western arcades of the nave. C13
double chamfered arch is built into original opening. Reveal of blocked opening
above tower arch may be Cll. Relieving arch above doorway to tower staircase, to
left. Arch-head tomb recess and niche in south aisle, also carved bracket
attached to sill of south east window. Double piscina to right of altar has
central shaft. Evidence of earlier window pattern visible around east window.
Stone benches to north aisle wall. C19 roof structures. Jacobean pulpit. C18
communion rail with turned balusters. 7 stalls, with misericords, from Church of
St. Mary and All Saints, Fotheringhay (q.v.). Upper part of Perpendicular screen
behind south aisle altar. South aisle altar also probably incorporates some
medieval wood work. Octagonal font on 5 shafts with 4 large ballflowers. 3 pews
in north aisle have fleur-de-lis bench ends. 3 medieval altar slabs; in chancel,
south aisle and reset in belfry. Stained glass; late C19 and early C20 east
window of chancel and south aisle window. Monuments; John Colt, Rector, died
1440; brass effigy on wall to right of altar. Late C17, partially legible,
inscribed tablet to right of altar has cherubs head above, Joseph Foster died
1819; plain inscribed tablet, with brackets, in north aisle. John Cave, died
1821; inscribed tablet by Harrison of Oundle, in south aisle, has reeded
pilaster and urn above.
(Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: p423; RCHM: An Inventory of
Architectural Monuments in North Northamptonshire: p145)
Listing NGR: TL0535390894
