St Andrew, Great Billing, Northamptonshire

I Location

Site Location
Great Billing
National Grid Reference
SP 808 629
County
traditional: Northamptonshire
now: Northamptonshire
Diocese
medieval: Lincoln
now: Peterborough from 1539
Dedication
medieval: not confirmed
now (or name of monument): St Andrew
Type of building/monument
Parish church

II General Description

Exterior from SE.

Exterior from SE.

Exterior from S.

Exterior from S.

St Andrew's has a clerestoreyed nave with four-bay N and S aisles. Of these, only pier 2 of the N arcade is 12thc., so the original nave was probably only two bays long. This was extended W and E in the later 13thc. or early 14thc., and the lower parts of the tower and the chancel date from this period. A chapel was added to the N of the chancel in 1687. The rest of the chancel was largely rebuilt by E. F. Law in 1867. The tower had a spire that fell in 1759, and the upper parts were rebuilt shortly afterwards, along with parts of the nave damaged by the collapse. The only Romanesque feature is in the N nave arcade.

IV Interior Features

2. Arcades

c. Nave

(j) N arcade
Nave, N arcade from SE.

Nave, N arcade from SE.

Nave, N arcade, pier 2, capital.

Nave, N arcade, pier 2, capital.

Nave, N arcade, pier 2, base.

Nave, N arcade, pier 2, base.

The arcade is of four bays, all arches pointed and of two chamfered orders to N and S. it is carried on cylindrical piers with demi-octagonal responds at the ends. Only pier 2 and its capital, base and impost are 12thc., the remainder of the capitals and imposts date from c.1280-1310.

Pier 2: cylindrical pier on spurred double-roll base with a bell-shaped capital with chamfered necking and plain chamfered impost. On each angle of the capital is a single leaf with an axial keel and no stem. The rest of the bell is carved with a large, sawtooth-like design, two teeth per face, which loops below the angle leaves. Above the bell is a short plain abacus.

VII History

In 1086 Great Billing was held by Gilbert the cook. No church was recorded.

Benefice of Great Billing with Little Billing.

VIII Comments/Opinions

IX Bibliography

  • N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire. Harmondsworth 1961, rev. B. Cherry 1973, 349-50.
  • Victoria County History: Northamptonshire. IV (1937).