St Leonard, Glapthorn, Northamptonshire

I Location

Site Location
Glapthorn
National Grid Reference
TL 024 902
County
traditional: Northamptonshire;Soke of Peterborough, i.e. Northants to 1965 ; Huntingdonshire 1965-74
now: Northamptonshire
Diocese
medieval: Lincoln
now: Peterborough from 1539
Dedication
medieval:
now (or name of monument): St Leonard
Type of building/monument
Chapel of Ease

II General Description

Exterior from S.

Exterior from S.

Interior to E.

Interior to E.

Interior to SW.

Interior to SW.

St Leonard's has a four-bay clerestoreyed nave, the arcades divided into two two-bay sections by a short stretch of wall. In the N arcade all the arches are pointed and the capitals moulded; in the S the E bays are similar, but the W bays have round arches. Nevertheless both arcades are 13thc., but for two features. The base of N pier 3 is a reused, inverted multi-scallop pier capital (or, as Pevsner suggests, a pair of respond capitals), and chevron voussoirs have been cut down for reuse in the E arches of the S arcade. For the rest, the chancel is 13thc. and there is a low W tower, late 13thc. in its lower parts and Perpendicular above.

IV Interior Features

2. Arcades

c. Nave

(i) N arcade

Pier 3 base
N nave, arcade, pier 3, base.

N nave, arcade, pier 3, base.

The base stands on an inverted multi-scallop pier capital in two halves (or, as Pevsner suggests, a pair of respond capitals). There are six scallops per face, the shields are plain and the cones appear to be sheathed, although since the base obscures their inner ends this is not certain.

Dimensions
w. of capital (N-S) 0.71 m
w. of capital (E-W) 0.76 m
h. of capital 0.17 m

(ii) S arcade

Re-used chevron voussoirs in E arches.

VII History

Glapthorn is not mentioned in the Domesday Survey. Nothing is known of the manor's ownership until Robert Brudenell acquired it in 1512. It has remained in the possession of his successors.

Benefice of Oundle with Ashton and Benefield with Glapthorn; originally a Chapel of Ease to Cotterstock.

VIII Comments/Opinions

IX Bibliography

  • N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, Harmondsworth, 1961, rev. by B. Cherry, 1973, 225f.
  • RCHME, An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the County of Northampton. VI. Architectural monuments in N Northamptonshire, London, 1986, 75-78.
  • Victoria County History. Northamptonshire, II, 1906.