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I Location

II General Description

St Botolph's has an aisled, clerestoreyed nave with N and S doorways, the S under a porch; aisleless chancel with a N boiler-room, and a W tower with a spire. The tower, 12thc. in its lower parts, was rebuilt in 1864-65 under the direction of Edward Browning, and at that time Anglo-Saxon foundations were discovered. The S aisle, with its two-bay arcade, was added in the early 13thc., and the N in the mid 13thc. The S doorway, under a 14thc. porch (rebuilt in 1901), belongs stylistically to c.1200, but might be contemporary with the S arcade. The N doorway has been blocked, probably in 1864-65. Around 1300 short bays on corbels were added at the E end of each arcade, and the chancel rebuilt. The chancel windows are dated 1609. At the W end, the aisles flank the tower, but the tower arches to N and S are 19thc. copies of 12thc. work. The tower's lowest storey is square; a chamfer in the 2nd storey produces an octagonal plan, which is maintained for two further storeys. On top is a short stone spire with a single row of lucarnes. Construction is of ashlar except for the chancel, of roughly coursed stone. Romanesque features are the tower arch responds and capitals (the arch is later) and the S doorway.

III Exterior Features

1. Doorways

(i) S doorway

Pointed, of two orders.

1st order: continuous and chamfered.

2nd order: en-delit nook-shafts, the W a replacement, on water-holding bases. The W capital has a sprig of stiff leaf on each face, roll necking and a square abacus but no impost. The E is a waterleaf capital, again with roll necking and square abacus. In the arch is a keeled angle roll with flanking hollows on face and soffit. The label is a flattened roll with a fillet and drop-shaped stops.

Dimensions

IV Interior Features

1. Arches

b. Tower/Transept arches

(i) Tower arch

E arch

Two orders to E and W. 12thc. up to impost level with 13th-14thc. pointed arch of two chamfered orders.

1st order (shared): half-column responds on cylinder/roll bases. On the S is a volute capital, its bell decorated with an irregular design of vertical wedges. The volutes are simple balls decorated with a spiral pattern on two faces. On the N a triple-scallop capital with angle tucks, the lower edges of the shields grooved, and the shield on the W face decorated with a scalloped design in low relief. Both capitals have roll neckings and hollow chamfered imposts with a groove low down on the face.

2nd order (E and W): the 2nd orders are identically treated to E and W. They are carried on coursed half-column responds with bases and imposts as the 1st order. The capitals too copy the 1st order capitals adjoining, i.e. volutes on the S side and double scallops on the N.

VII History

Benefice of Etton with Helpston and Maxey.

VIII Comments/Opinions

IX Bibliography