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I Location

II General Description

St Mary's has an aisled, three-bay clerestoreyed nave with 14thc. arcades, an aisleless chancel and a W tower with a broach spire having two rows of lucarnes. The N doorway is plain, and the elaborate 13thc. S doorway is covered by a porch. A vestry has been added to the N of the tower. The church is constructed of roughly shaped grey stone with remains of mortar render on the chancel. The spire collapsed in 1877, and the tower was rebuilt in 1880-83. Romanesque interest centres on the three-storey tower and its arch. A 12thc. S window survives on the first storey, and the third-storey bell-openings are also 12thc. in design, although not all are original. Traces of beading survive on a stone re-used in the fabric of the chancel.

III Exterior Features

2. Windows

(i) Tower first storey, S window

Round-headed, two orders. The first order is plain and continuous. The second is carried on en-delit nook-shafts on worn bulbous bases with a necking above. These carry capitals with abaci but no imposts, The W capital waterleaf, the E with bold crockets at the angles. The arch is plain.

(ii) Tower third storey, W bell-opening

Of the four bell-openings, this one retains the most original stone, but it is badly eroded. It is round headed and of two orders, the first a double arch with a central shaft.

First order: The jambs are chamfered with scroll chamfer stops, and support chamfered imposts, both replacements. The arches are also chamfered. The central shaft is octagonal, en-delit and mounted on a base not entirely visible from below. The capital is badly eroded, but may have had windblown stiff-leaf. It has a roll necking and no impost.

Second order: Carried on en-delit cylindrical nook-shafts, bases not visible. Capitals are worn, possibly stiff-leaf, with roll neckings, and the chamfered imposts are replacements. The arch is plain and enclosed by a chamfered label with a row of large nailhead on the chamfer.

(iii) Tower third storey N bell-opening

As W opening, but all 19thc. except the second order arch (which is completely plain.

(iv) Tower third storey, E bell-opening

As W opening, but all 19thc.

(v) Tower third storey, S bell-opening

As W opening, but all 19thc.

3. Exterior Decoration

d. Miscellaneous

(i) Reset stone in N wall of chancel

28 m from angle of S aisle and 0.85 m above the pavement. A roughly rectangular stone, partly concealed by mortar render, decorated with a curved line of beading on its outer face.

Dimensions

IV Interior Features

1. Arches

b. Tower/Transept arches

(i) Tower arch

W arch

Round-headed and of two orders to the W. The arches of both orders are unmoulded, but there is a half-round label to the outer arch. The first order jambs have slight chamfers to E and W, with pyramidal chamfer stops. The second order jambs are not chamfered. The arches of both orders spring from imposts with a hollow chamfer, quirked at the top.

VII History

In 1086 Countess Judith held two hides in Bozeat, all let to tenants, and a further 1½ virgates were held by William Peverel as part of his manor of Higham Ferrers. No church was mentioned at that time.

Benefice of Bozeat with Easton Maudit.

VIII Comments/Opinions

The bell-openings are very similar to those at nearby Yardley Hastings.

IX Bibliography