All Saints, Laxton, Northamptonshire

I Location

Site Location
Laxton
National Grid Reference
SP 950 960
County
traditional: Northamptonshire
now: Northamptonshire
Diocese
medieval: Lincoln
now: Peterborough from 1539
Dedication
medieval: All Hallows 1522
now (or name of monument): All Saints
Type of building/monument
Parish church

II General Description

Exterior from SE.

Exterior from SE.

All Saints owes a great deal to the restoration by Lord Carbery (d.1894). From the exterior it appears to be a 19thc. church, apart from the late 13thc. W tower and broach spire. Inside, the nave has a three-bay 13thc. S arcade and a 19thc. N arcade. The clerestorey consists of a single central dormer window on each side; clearly an idea of Lord Carbery's. The chancel is 19thc. The S nave doorway, under a porch, is also 19thc. work, but contains reused 12thc. material and is described below. There is no N doorway.

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. All 19thc. except for the fat cylindrical en-delit nook-shafts and capitals of the second order. The W capital retains the square shape of the block at the top, and an angle volute is indicated by deep spiral grooves. The lower half is cut back into a bell, with a second, smaller angle volute carved in relief below the first. On the lower half of each face is a spiral in relief. Part of the roll necking survives around the angle. The E capital is similarly block-shaped, with two volutes on the angle. The S face to the right of the volutes is carved with four parallel grooves, cusped to outline the curves of the volutes. On the W face is a disc with eight radial spokes in relief and a drilled centre.

VII History

In 1086 Laxton was held by one William. There were only 11/2 hides, and no church or priest was recorded.

Benefice of Bulwick and Blatherwycke with Harringworth and Laxton.

VIII Comments/Opinions

The form of the capitals, their tall blocks carved with stylised volutes and randomly-applied decorative motifs, suggests a date around 1100 for this work. Nothing very close survives nearby, although similarly attenuated volute capitals are found at Blatherwycke.

IX Bibliography

  • N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, Harmondsworth, 1961, rev. by B. Cherry, 1973, 289.
  • RCHME, An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the County of Northampton, VI. Architectural monuments in N Northamptonshire, London, 1986, 106-08.