Details
SPILSBY CHURCH STREET
TF 4066-4166
(north side)
7/51 Church of St.James
3.2.67
G.V. I
Parish church. Founded 1348 as a college of priests by Lord
Willoughby. Late C14, early C16, 1879 rebuilding by W. Basset
Smith of chancel and addition of south aisle. Squared greenstone
rubble, ashlar dressings, rockfaced limestone ashlar, lead roofs.
Western tower at end of inner north aisle, nave, 2 north aisles,
the inner one a former nave, south aisle, Willoughby chapel in
former chancel, chancel, vestry. 3 stage early C16 tower in
greenstone with facetted corner buttresses, tall plinth with
quatrefoil frieze, chamfered string courses, embattled parapet
with crocketed pinnacles. To the belfry stage, triple louvred
lights, triangular hoods to each side. C19 west door with
quatrefoil spandrels and square surround. Above a C16 4 light
panel traceried window with pointed, moulded surround. C19 north
aisle, pointed continuously moulded doorway with 3 panel
traceried windows. To clerestory are 4 triple lights with
trefoil heads and square labels. C19 chapel, with 2 three light
windows with panel tracery. AT the east end a matching 4 light
window, and C14 east window of the chancel of 5 lights with
reticulated tracery. C19 vestry with 2 light east and south
windows. On the south side are 4 triple and 3 two light windows
all with reticulated tracery, probably C14 reused. In the
clerestory 5 paired lights matching those to the north. At the
west end a C14 continuously moulded and pointed doorway reset, a
C19 light and a 4 light reticulated window. Interior. The
original nave is now the inner north aisle, and the former
chancel and sanctuary is now the Willoughby chapel. 4 bay C14
original nave arcades with octagonal piers and capitals, fleurons
and double chamfered arches. Tall C16 tower arch, with octagonal
imposts and hollow moulded capitals and continuously chamfered
outer arch. At the east end a double chamfered arch, probably
reset, with statue brackets. C16 old nave roof with moulded
principals. C19 5 bay south arcade, and wide chancel arch. C19
arch braced roof to present nave. In the chancel a 2 bay arcade
into the Willoughby chapel, octagonal piers, responds and
capitals, double chamfered arches. On the south side a C19
pointed opening to organ chamber and vestry, and a C19 3 seated
sedilia and adjacent piscina, all with cusped heads. Fittings
all C19 including octagonal font with columnar base. C19 stained
glass. Monuments in the Willoughby chapel are stone effigies of
John, 2nd Baron Willoughby and his wife, Joan, d.1348. Male
figure in armour with sword and shield, his legs crossed, feet
resting on a lion. His wife wears a skirt and mantle, both have
bedesmen supporters. The chest has quatrefoils in the panels, and
paired angle pinnacles with crocketed canopies and figures of
saints and angels. Alabaster tomb effigy of John, 3rd Baron of
Willoughby, distinguished in battle of Poitiers in 1356, d.1372.
In full armour with sword, feet on a lion, head on a jousting
helm. Around the margin a frieze of monks holding rosaries. The
chest is decorated with shields in octofoils. Alabaster effigies
of Robert, the 4th Baron and his wife, d.1396. The male figure
is in full armour with sword, his feet on a lion, his head on a
crowned jousting helm. His wife wears an elaborate dress, her
head on a pillow with supporters. The chest has blank shields
and quatrefoils. A solitary brass figure is of Robert's second
wife Margaret Zouche, d.1391, feet on a dog, and surrounded by
shields. A pair of brass figures shows William the 5th Baron and
his wife Lucy, d.1410. He is in plate armour with dagger and
sword, feet on a lion, she has an elaborate dress. Canopies over
and the matrix indicates an extensively decorated surround.
Large sideboard tomb to Richard Bertie and Catherine his wife,
former Duchess of Suffolk, d.1580 and 1582. In front is a chest
bearing armorial escutcheons, an inscription recording the
deceased dated 1582, all with pilasters, plinth and moulded
cornice. Behind a pair of niches containing busts of the
deceased, with composite pillars, and an all over pattern of
geometric shapes. The cornice is supported by 3 figures of a
monk and 2 wildmen, each holding aloft a shield of arms. In the
frieze are flowers, fruit and escutcheons. The back of this
monument forms the screen and reredos. Finally on the north wall
a tall sideboard tomb to Peregrine Willoughby, d.1600, erected
1612, in alabaster, reclining figure of Lady Katherine, daughter
of Peregrine, with a baby in the crib. Above a standing figure
of Peregrine in a niche, with strapwork embellishments, all
supported on composite columns with a dentillated cornice. In
the nave at the west end a white marble tablet to Capt. Sir John
Franklin, Arctic navigator and explorer, born at Splisby 1786,
died 1847 at sea, and also 2 others of his brothers. Major James
Franklin, maker of the first survey of India, d.1834, and to Sir
Willingham Franklin, d.1866, judge at Madras.
Listing NGR: TF4002666089
