St Peter, Cogenhoe, Northamptonshire

I Location

Site Location
Cogenhoe
National Grid Reference
SP 830 610
County
traditional: Northamptonshire
now: Northamptonshire
Diocese
medieval: Lincoln
now: Peterborough from 1539
Dedication
medieval: St Peter 1523
now (or name of monument): St Peter
Type of building/monument
Parish church

II General Description

Exterior from NW.

Exterior from NW.

Tower from SE.

Tower from SE.

St Peter's has a three-bay aisled and clerestoreyed nave with late medieval arcades whose capitals are ornamented with heads and shields. The chancel is also elaborate, with 13thc. blind arcading on the side walls. The arch of a N chapel cuts into the arcading, but the chapel itself was replaced by a vestry in 1869. W is a tall Perpendicular tower of three storeys. The late-12thc. N and S doorways remain: the S more elaborate and protected by a porch. Construction is of grey limestone in rough little blocks, with larger blocks of ironstone used as quoins and facings, more liberally on the tower than elsewhere.

III Exterior Features

1. Doorways

(i) S nave doorway

S doorway.

S doorway.

S doorway, W side, capital.

S doorway, W side, capital.

S doorway, E side, capital.

S doorway, E side, capital.

Pointed, two orders. Built of blocks of grey and brown ashlar.

First order: Plain square jambs with no capitals but chamfered imposts with a quirk at the top of the chamfer. The arch is plain and unchamfered.

Second order: Coursed nook-shafts with worn roll-hollow bases supporting plain double-scallop capitals with chamfered neckings. Imposts are the same as the first order; arch plain and unchamfered. The label has a thin angle roll and face roll at the intrados.

Dimensions
h. of opening 2.31 m
w. of opening 1.02 m

(ii) N nave doorway

N doorway.

N doorway.

Round headed, one order. The doorway is plain and continuous with a chamfer. There is a plain chamfered label with short returns at each end.

Dimensions
h. of opening 1.70 m
w. of opening 0.96 m

VII History

In 1086 Cogenhoe comprised just one hide and 2½ virgates of land of which three were held by Countess Judith and 3½ by Guy de Raimbeaucourt. No church is mentioned in either holding.

Benefice of Cogenhoe and Great Houghton and Little Houghton with Brafield-on-the-Green.

VIII Comments/Opinions

IX Bibliography

  • J. Bridges, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire. (Compiled from the manuscript collections of the late learned antiquary J.Bridges, Esq., by the Rev. Peter Whalley). Oxford 1791, I, 349-50.
  • N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire. Harmondsworth 1961, rev. B. Cherry 1973, 152.
  • Victoria County History: Northamptonshire. IV (1937), 237-40.