St Peter's Church, Wolfhampcote
Encyclopedia
St Peter's Church, Wolfhampcote, is a redundant
Anglican
church standing in an isolated position in the civil parish of Wolfhampcote
, Warwickshire
, England . The church and its attached mausoleum
has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. The church stands in a field which contains a number of mounds. These are partly the remains of the medieval
village initially served by the church, which has been deserted village
for centuries, partly from disused canal workings, and partly from the remains of a redundant railway line.
. The earliest fabric in the present church dates from the 13th century and is in the north aisle
and the north chapel. During the following century the church was largely rebuilt, and in the 15th century the roof was altered and the clerestory
was added. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries
, the tower was built in the later part of the 16th century. In 1690 the top of the tower was altered and it was re-roofed; this was confirmed by finding the date and the initials of the churchwarden
s on the outside of the crenellations
at the top of the west side of the tower.
The church then remained virtually unchanged until 1848, when a restoration
was carried out, and the mausoleum was added to the east end of the church. After that time the population of the parish declined. More repairs and some restorations were carried out in 1903, at a cost of £425 (£ as of ). The church closed in 1910, but reopened two years later at the request of the local residents. However it was only used occasionally for services, and closed again soon after the end of the Second World War. It was damaged by vandalism and in the late 1950s the diocese
decided to demolish it, leaving just the walls standing. However the charity, the Friends of Friendless Churches
, was granted permission to carry out repairs. But more vandalism took place, and the entrances and the lower windows were blocked to prevent entry to the building. Following the Pastoral Measure of 1968 the church was declared redundant, and on 3 March 1972 it was vested
in the Redundant Churches Fund (now known as the Churches Conservation Trust). More work has since been carried out to make the building weatherproof and secure from vandalism.
is constructed in limestone
, while the rest of the church is in sandstone
. Its plan consists of a three-bay
nave
with a clerestory, north and south aisles, a two-bay chancel with a chapel to the north, a south porch, and a northwest tower. The tower is in two stages divided by a string course. In the lower stage is a west lancet window and blocked lancet slits on the west and north sides. In the upper stage are paired bell openings. The parapet
is battlement
ed. The chancel has a five-light Perpendicular east window, and two and three-light windows with Decorated tracery
elsewhere. It has a south doorway, and on its gable
is a cross finial
. There are windows on the south and east sides of the south aisle, and in the sides of the porch are blocked lancet window
s. The clerestory is in two bays, and has two-light Decorated windows on each side. On the north of the church the aisle and the chapel are joined as one unit, forming four bays. These contain three-light north windows, a three-light east window, and a four-light west Perpendicular window.
supported by an octagonal pier
, and between the nave and the north aisle is a similar arcade. The south arcade has three bays. In the south aisle is a simple piscina
, and there is a piscina with an ogee
arch in the north chapel. The font
is a plain tub, dating possibly from the 13th century. The oak chapel screen dates from the 14th century and contains Decorated tracery. The altar rails, from the late 17th century, are carried on barley sugar twist baluster
s. The pulpit
is hexagonal and is dated 1790. Some of the benches date from the 14th century. Above the chancel arch are the painted Royal arms
of 1702. There are some painted panels in the north chapel. The wall monuments date from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The ring
consists of two bells. The larger of these was cast by John Sturdy of London, probably in the middle of the 15th century. The other is dated 1780 and was cast by Pack and Chapman at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry
. Both bells were repaired in the 1970s by John Taylor and Co of Loughborough
and were rung for the first time for over 30 years on St Peter's Day, 1976.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church standing in an isolated position in the civil parish of Wolfhampcote
Wolfhampcote
Wolfhampcote is an abandoned village and civil parish in the English counties of Warwickshire and Northamptonshire, which it straddles.The old village of Wolfhampcote is located west of the A45 road near Braunston in Northamptonshire, and can be reached by a track from the main A45 road, or by a...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England . The church and its attached mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. The church stands in a field which contains a number of mounds. These are partly the remains of the medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
village initially served by the church, which has been deserted village
Abandoned village
An abandoned village is a village that has, for some reason, been deserted. In many countries, and throughout history, thousands of villages were deserted for a variety of causes...
for centuries, partly from disused canal workings, and partly from the remains of a redundant railway line.
History
The presence of a church in Wolfhampcote was recorded in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
. The earliest fabric in the present church dates from the 13th century and is in the north aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
and the north chapel. During the following century the church was largely rebuilt, and in the 15th century the roof was altered and the clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
was added. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
, the tower was built in the later part of the 16th century. In 1690 the top of the tower was altered and it was re-roofed; this was confirmed by finding the date and the initials of the churchwarden
Churchwarden
A churchwarden is a lay official in a parish church or congregation of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer. Holders of these positions are ex officio members of the parish board, usually called a vestry, parish council, parochial church council, or in the case of a...
s on the outside of the crenellations
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
at the top of the west side of the tower.
The church then remained virtually unchanged until 1848, when a restoration
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
was carried out, and the mausoleum was added to the east end of the church. After that time the population of the parish declined. More repairs and some restorations were carried out in 1903, at a cost of £425 (£ as of ). The church closed in 1910, but reopened two years later at the request of the local residents. However it was only used occasionally for services, and closed again soon after the end of the Second World War. It was damaged by vandalism and in the late 1950s the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
decided to demolish it, leaving just the walls standing. However the charity, the Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches is a registered charity active in England and Wales. It campaigns for and rescues redundant historic churches threatened by demolition, decay, or inappropriate conversion. To that end, as of August 2010, it owns 43 former churches or chapels, 23 of which...
, was granted permission to carry out repairs. But more vandalism took place, and the entrances and the lower windows were blocked to prevent entry to the building. Following the Pastoral Measure of 1968 the church was declared redundant, and on 3 March 1972 it was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the Redundant Churches Fund (now known as the Churches Conservation Trust). More work has since been carried out to make the building weatherproof and secure from vandalism.
Exterior
The chancelChancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
is constructed in limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, while the rest of the church is in sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. Its plan consists of a three-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
with a clerestory, north and south aisles, a two-bay chancel with a chapel to the north, a south porch, and a northwest tower. The tower is in two stages divided by a string course. In the lower stage is a west lancet window and blocked lancet slits on the west and north sides. In the upper stage are paired bell openings. The parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
is battlement
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
ed. The chancel has a five-light Perpendicular east window, and two and three-light windows with Decorated tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
elsewhere. It has a south doorway, and on its gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
is a cross finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
. There are windows on the south and east sides of the south aisle, and in the sides of the porch are blocked lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
s. The clerestory is in two bays, and has two-light Decorated windows on each side. On the north of the church the aisle and the chapel are joined as one unit, forming four bays. These contain three-light north windows, a three-light east window, and a four-light west Perpendicular window.
Interior
The interior of the church is plastered. Between the chancel and the chapel is a two-bay arcadeArcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
supported by an octagonal pier
Pier (architecture)
In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
, and between the nave and the north aisle is a similar arcade. The south arcade has three bays. In the south aisle is a simple piscina
Piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
, and there is a piscina with an ogee
Ogee
An ogee is a curve , shaped somewhat like an S, consisting of two arcs that curve in opposite senses, so that the ends are parallel....
arch in the north chapel. The font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
is a plain tub, dating possibly from the 13th century. The oak chapel screen dates from the 14th century and contains Decorated tracery. The altar rails, from the late 17th century, are carried on barley sugar twist baluster
Baluster
A baluster is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, made of stone or wood and sometimes of metal, standing on a unifying footing, and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase. Multiplied in this way, they form a...
s. The pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
is hexagonal and is dated 1790. Some of the benches date from the 14th century. Above the chancel arch are the painted Royal arms
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...
of 1702. There are some painted panels in the north chapel. The wall monuments date from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The ring
Ring of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
consists of two bells. The larger of these was cast by John Sturdy of London, probably in the middle of the 15th century. The other is dated 1780 and was cast by Pack and Chapman at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Whitechapel Bell Foundry
The Whitechapel Bell Foundry is a bell foundry in Whitechapel in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. The foundry is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest manufacturing company in Great Britain...
. Both bells were repaired in the 1970s by John Taylor and Co of Loughborough
Loughborough
Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University...
and were rung for the first time for over 30 years on St Peter's Day, 1976.