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I Location

II General Description

St Peter's has an early 12thc. nave and W tower. Aisles were added to the nave in the mid (N arcade) to late (S arcade) 12thc. The original clerestorey is still visible in the aisles, but the roof was raised and new windows installed in the 14thc. The top storey of the tower is 15thc. The chancel and its arch date from the 13thc., and there is a large N chapel, added in 1367. Attached to the S of the chancel is a 13thc. treasury. The church is faced with irregular ashlar blocks. Described here are the corbels, bell-openings and arcading of the tower, the tower arch and the nave arcades.

III Exterior Features

2. Windows

(i) Tower, 2nd-storey double bell-openings (four)

In the centre of each face of the tower is a double bell-opening with plain jambs, and a central en-delit shaft on a tall, worn double roll base supporting a worn cushion capital. The arches, with an angle roll, spring directly from the capital to the jambs on either side without imposts. The doublet is enclosed by a chamfered label. The arches and jambs of the S face bell-opening are replacements. These bell-openings form the central unit of a three-bay wall arcade on each face of the tower (see III.3.b).

3. Exterior Decoration

a. String courses

(i) Tower, top of 1st storey, above corbel table.

Running right around the tower at this level is a string course carved with two rows of billet. That on the S face is entirely a replacement.

b. Arcading

(i) Tower 2nd storey, E face

Flanking the bell-opening on either side is a blind arch, making a three-bay composition. Each arch has an angle roll carried on cushion capitals and en-delit nook-shafts with tall double-roll bases. The chamfered labels link to that of the central window and continue around the tower forming a continuous string course which forms the label for all the windows and arcades at this level.

(ii) Tower 2nd storey, S face

As E face.

(iii) Tower 2nd storey, W face

As E face, but with five arches instead of three (i.e. two blind arches to either side of the window). Between each pair of blind arches is a free-standing en-delit shaft.

(iv) Tower 2nd storey, N face

As W face.

c. Corbel tables, corbels

(i) Tower, top of 1st storey, S face 12 corbels (L-R)

1. Worn beast head.

2. Worn beast head.

3. Worn beast head with bulbous eyes and cat ears.

4. Worn.

5. Human head with bulbous eyes, cap, or caplike hair and open sad mouth.

6. Double frustum.

7. Worn beast head.

8. Quincunx.

9. Worn beast head.

10. Worn beast head.

11. Grotesque beast head, possibly a replacement.

12. Worn beast head.

(ii) Tower, top of 1st storey, W face 13 corbels (L-R)

1. Worn double corbel.

2. Worn human (?) head.

3. Worn beast head.

4. Worn beast head.

5. Worn beast head.

6. Worn beast head.

7. Worn beast head.

8. Worn.

9. Worn beast head.

10. Worn head, large loss at R.

11. Worn beast head.

12. Worn beast head.

13. Worn beast head.

(iii) Tower, top of 1st storey, N face 12 corbels (L-R)

1. Worn human (?) head.

2. Worn beast head.

3. Worn beast head.

4. Worn beast head, roll in mouth.

5. Worn beast head.

6. Worn beast head.

7. Worn, striated head

8. Worn beast head.

9. Worn beast head.

10. Worn beast head.

11. Worn double head.

12. Worn double corbel.

IV Interior Features

1. Arches

b. Tower/Transept arches

(i) Tower arch

W arch

Two orders to E and W. 12thc. up to impost level; the pointed arch of two chamfered orders E and W is later.

1st order (shared): on half-column responds with roll/chamfer bases decorated with a row of sawtooth on the chamfer. N and S capitals are similar volute designs, with roll neckings above which is a row of scalloped leaf-lobes. Angle volutes are of the Ely type, i.e. at the top of a leaf on the angle, and the main face has a fan of five almond-shaped leaves radiating from the top centre. The imposts are chamfered with a quirk at the top of the chamfer.

2nd order, E face: en-delit nook-shafts on bases as 1st order. The S capital has a green man mask at the angle, with foliate hair and heavy stems of foliage issuing from either side of the mouth to terminate in multi-lobed leaves. The N capital has a fan of flat leaves at the top of each face, each supported by a broad stem rising from a row of lobes above the necking. The stem on the S face is beaded. Neckings and imposts as 1st order.

2nd order, W face: supports and imposts are as the E face, 2nd order. The S capital has a triple-lobe on the necking from which rises a flat stem which branches L and R, the side stems terminating in groups of fluted leaves, while the central stem is topped by a fruit. To either side are short stems ending in trilobed fluted leaves. The N capital is another green man (cf 2nd order E face, S capital), but with additional hook-ended stems hanging down from his mouth.

2. Arcades

c. Nave

(i) N arcade

Two bays, round headed. The arcade pier is cylindrical; the responds half-columns, all on very tall square plinths. Bases with a roll below a quirked hollow; capitals (described below) of multi-scallop form with chamfered neckings and quirked hollow chamfered imposts, square in plan. Arches are of two orders; the 1st, shared, order chamfered with a slender soffit roll; the 2nd with an angle-roll on the S (nave) face and plain on the aisle side.

E respond capital: multi-scallop with wedges between the scallops and a large repair on the SW corner.

Pier 1 capital: multi-scallop with wedges between the scallops but keeled angles.

W respond capital: as pier 1 capital.

(ii) S arcade

Two bays round headed. The arcade pier is cylindrical; the responds half-columns, all on very tall square plinths. Bases with a roll below a quirked hollow; capitals (described below) of multi-scallop form with chamfered neckings and quirked hollow chamfered imposts. Capitals and imposts are cruciform in plan. Arches are of two orders; the 1st, shared, order chamfered with a slender soffit roll; the 2nd with row of notches forming a series of pyramids on the angle on the N (nave) face and chamfered on the aisle side.

E respond capital: multi-scallop with sheathed scallops with angle tucks.

Pier 1 capital: multi-scallop, the shields of zig-zag form with sheathed scallops.

W respond: multi-scallop with wedges between the scallops.

VII History

A confirmation of the grant of lands to Peterborough (Medeshamstede) by Wulfhere, king of Mercia, in 664 includes Maxey, but this is generally thought to be a post-Conquest forgery. Like most of the Peterborough villages it does not appear in the Domesday Survey.

Benefice of Etton with Helpston and Maxey.

VIII Comments/Opinions

The tower arch is by the Castor and Sutton workshop (see foliage forms and sawtooth bases), here dated to c. 1100-10. The tower decoration too is a simplified form of that at Castor and the corbels appear to be by the same workshop. The nave arcades date from the middle of the 12thc., with the S arcade stylistically later than the N. The capital forms of the S arcade, including the zig-zag scallops, also appear in the N arcade at nearby Peakirk.

IX Bibliography