Diameter: 28.75" Bell 1 of 2
Dove Bell ID: 58993 Tower ID: 22918 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Radstone: St Lawrence
Overview
Grid reference: SP 587 405
A largely medieval parish church, listed Grade I, with fabric dating from the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. From the latest period is a tall south aisle divided from the earlier nave by a tall arcade with elaborately carved capitals. There is a Norman font, but most of the furnishings date from the 1850s, when the building was restored by the architect Charles Buckeridge, and are typical of that period. At some time, perhaps in the 1850s, the internal walls of nave and aisle have been stripped of plaster. The church stands in an attractive churchyard, tucked behind farm buildings in a small rural hamlet north of Brackley.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
West tower, 3-bay nave, 2-bay chancel, south aisle and porch.
Dimensions:
[Approximate] Nave and chancel 11m (35ft) long x 4m wide (13ft), south aisle 3m wide, chancel 6m long.
Footprint of Church buildings: 226 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
A number of enclosures and monuments of possible prehistoric and Romano-British date have been recorded in the locality. Upper and Lower Radstone are shrunken medieval villages protected as Scheduled Monuments and the Northamptonshire Historic Environment Record should be consulted prior to any development of the site or area.
In terms of recorded history, Earl Hugh of Chester held Radstone in Domesday Book of 1086. No church was recorded. The earliest documentary evidence for the church is in the 13th century, when it was described as a daughter chapel of Marston St Lawrence. The church was probably built at the very end of the 12th century and beginning of the 13th – there is no evidence for Saxon fabric in the tower as mooted in the past. The tall south aisle and porch seems to have been added in the early 14th-century, at which time the belfry was raised. The nave and aisle roofs appear 15th-century.
The church was partly restored and re-roofed c1853-8. Merton College held the advowson from 1869 when it became a parish church and repaired the chancel roof in 1969 as they had chancel repair liability, which may or may not have been passed on to the present owner. The nave was covered in lead around the year 2000. Recent repairs have left the church in good shape for the future.
The four colonies of bats, including the largest roosting colony of Natterers in the county, are welcome but sometimes untidy guests, and measures have been take to help them gain access. They tend to fly along the line of the old railway track. There is also a small colony of Common Pipistrelle which uses the church, and sightings have been made of brown long-eared bats and the rare Leisler’s bat.
Exterior Description
This is a fine small Grade I listed church, with a complex and fascinating development resulting in a distinctive silhouette, and with beautifully aged and mottled limestone walls.
The oldest features are in the 3-stage west tower, which has a plain 12th-century round-headed lancet window on the ground stage west face, and c1200 bell-openings on all faces except the south. It was originally of three storeys, and the third has been heightened in ashlar in the 14th century of which date are the 2-light bell-openings with hood moulds to south and in the gables of the saddleback roof. String courses between stages and stone slate roof. Stone sundial to south side of middle stage.
Chamfered plinth to nave and south aisle, diagonal buttresses to south aisle, offset buttresses to north. Moulded timber eaves to the north nave wall, plain stone coped parapet to south wall of south aisle and stone coping to east and west ends of nave and south aisle which are under one roof.
The nave has a north doorway with chamfered surround and hood mould, 2-light Decorated windows to either side and 3-light window to east bay with reticulated tracery, all with hood moulds. South aisle has a similar 3-light window to east wall of aisle, and similar 2-light windows to south and 3-light stepped lancet window to the west wall, all with hood moulds and label stops.
The south porch has a chamfered and hollow-chamfered doorway, small 2-light windows north and south with cusped heads and cut spandrels; stone slate roof and stone-coped gable. The inner door has a moulded arch, hood mould and label stops.
The chancel has a chamfered plinth and steeply pitched roof. Lancet windows to north and south walls with hood moulds, small low-side rectangular window to west bay of north wall level with chamfered stone surround. Priest's door to south wall with chamfer, pointed trefoil head and hood mould with serrated inner moulding. Window to the west of this with three pointed trefoil lights in rectangular chamfered stone surround. The east end has diagonal buttresses and stone-coped gable, coupled lancet window under a single hood mould.
Building Fabric and Features
Arcade
14th Century Nave/South aisle tall arcade; the East respond and the capital next to the West have foliage – oak leaves and acorns and stalks, the other capitals are moulded.
Historical Notes
1300 - 1399
Period Qualifier: 2
Tower (component)
12th century According to Canon Clarke - the basement of tower is C12th, with C13th and C14th alterations
Historical Notes
1100 - 1199
Period Qualifier: 2
The basement of the tower is C12th, with a plain arch constructed of thin stones
1150 - 1299
Period Qualifier: 1
Blocked, 2-light window which late C12th to early C13th
1300 - 1399
Period Qualifier: 1
Saddleback top is 14th.
Nave
13th century 3-bay
Chancel
13th century 2-bay, with lancet windows and a priest's door
Historical Notes
1200 - 1299
Period Qualifier: 2
1800 - 1899
Period Qualifier: 1
Charles Buckeridge alterations - roofing work and tiles, stalls and east lancet glass
Aisle
14th century South aisle
Historical Notes
1300 - 1399
Period Qualifier: 1
South aisle rebuilt C14th
1800 - 1899
Period Qualifier: 1
Charles Buckeridge alterations - reroofed and roof strengthened with girders. Walls skinned.
Porch
14th century
Building Materials
Stone
13th century strongly coursed rubble tower
Ashlar
13th century to belfry
Limestone
13th century coursed squared limestone
Clay
19th century new tiled roofs
Lead
15th century nave and aisle roofs
Interior
Interior Description
Moving inside through the narrow tower space, an elegant, harmonious and quite spartan interior is encountered, bathed in clear light reflected by the bare stone walls. The internal tower arch is of one order, round headed and very plain the only detail being narrow imposts with a deep hollow between rolls on the inner faces only, the west face being shaved flush with the wall.
Looking east, the early 14th-century south aisle arcade is very slender and elegant, with delicately moulded 2-centred pointed arches carried by octagonal piers, the two eastern capitals are carved with elaborate naturalistic foliage. The south aisle has a stone wall bench with oak top, piscina to east with cusped ogee head. There is a string course at sill level and polygonal brackets either side of the east window. Looking up, the low pitched nave and aisle roofs appear late Medieval, but may have been restored. Looking down the floor is of patterned Victorian tiles.
The nave is still fully pewed with dark-stained pine benches with moulded rails in 16th-century style, simple choir stalls with quatrefoil piercing. Much of this is covered in plastic in the summer outside service times as protection against bat droppings.
The chancel is early 13th-century in origin as one can see from the priest's doorway, although the double-chamfered chancel arch with shaft and capital to south and corbel to north is later, perhaps early 14th-century. The chancel has a moulded string course and encaustic tiles in the sanctuary floor. Scissor-braced roof, 19th-century. Loose stone plaque in a plain sedilia in south wall records the restoration in 1858.
Fixtures and fittings
Commemorative Object
17th Century Canon Clarke mentions a 'table to John Blencow, 1666 (& others)'
Altar
19th century Oak altar table, Victorian.
Reredos
19th century Victorian stencilling, fleur-de-lys patterns, text.
Pulpit
19th century plain pulpit with open sides
Lectern
19th century free-standing wood, plain
Rail
19th century iron floriated standards with carved oak rails
Font (component)
12th century Ccircular tub font with arcaded decoration at west end of south aisle. The bowl is almost a cylinder - tapering out slightly towards the rim. It stands on a tall cylindrical base, chamfered at the top, and this on a two-step rectangular plinth with chamfered steps. The bowl is decorated with two rows of fish scale ornament. The bowl is lead lined, and the rim has been repaired with large inserts.
Stained Glass (window)
19th century The east window has a cycle from Nativity to Ascension. Small depiction of St Lawrence in the lower tower window.
Lancet Window
13th Century Two lancet windows in East wall of chancel
Historical Notes
1200 - 1299
Period Qualifier: 2
1800 - 1899
Period Qualifier: 1
Charles Buckeridge alterations - may have changed glass in lancets
Stained Glass (window)
19th Century Stained glass signed by Curtis, Ward & Hughes, 1898 in the south aisle. The south-west window has Matthew 14: 13-21
Bells
Diameter: 31.5" Bell 2 of 2
Dove Bell ID: 58994 Tower ID: 22918 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: SP 587 405
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Sources
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