St James and St John, Dorrington, Lincolnshire

I Location

Site Location: Dorrington
National Grid Reference: TF 079 529
County: traditional: Lincolnshire
now: Lincolnshire
Diocese: medieval: Lincoln
now: Lincoln
Dedication: medieval: not confirmed
now (or name of monument): St James and St John
Type of building/monument: Parish church

II General Description

Church consists of a W tower, a two-bay nave with N and S aisles, and chancel mostly of the 13thc. The upper part of the tower is 14thc. and the clerestory is of the Perpendicular period. There was a restoration by Kirk and Parry here in 1867. The W tower arch is done in the Transitional style of around 1200.

IV Interior Features

1. Arches

b. Tower/Transept arches

(i) Tower arch

W arch

: Interior, W tower arch.

: Interior, W tower arch, L respond capitals.

: Interior, W tower arch, R respond capitals.

: Interior, W tower arch, R respond bases.

Pointed, two orders; there is no column on the W side.

First order: bases are attic type but are keeled like the coursed half-column they each carry. The necking is roll type but with a slight chamfer to it. Both capitals are polygonal. On the L is a waterleaf capital but the furled tips are not clearly articulated. Between each leaf tip is a disc. Polygonal abacus is plain. R capital is a polygonal bell type with a quirk on the abacus. Polygonal imposts both L and R consist of a roll, hollow, and upright with a thick quirk.

Second order: bulbous bases carry coursed, attached nook-shafts. Capitals and imposts are same as on the first order except that they are square. In addition, the L nook-shaft waterleaf capital has articulated, furled tips with nailhead on the abacus.

The arches of both orders are pointed and chamfered with pyramidal stop-chamfers.

Dimensions

First order:
h. of L capital	0.25 m
h. of R capital	0.27 m

Second order, L nook-shaft capital:
h.	0.24 m
w. (N face)	0.18 m
w. (E face)	0.18 m

Second order, R nook- shaft capital:
h.	0.27 m
w. (E face)	0.18 m
w. (S face)	0.18 m

VII History

Though Dorrington is mentioned in the Domesday Survey, there is no mention of a church here in 1086.

VIII Comments/Opinions

The keeling, the polygonal forms, and the bell capitals suggest a date of c. 1200. Pevsner notes that the simple N doorway may be of the same period; this is possible though the only feature present is a chamfered impost.

IX Bibliography

N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England: Lincolnshire. London, 1990, 257-58.