New Humberstone: St Barnabas
Overview
Grid reference: SK 611 52
St Barnabas' was built in 1886 to designs by Goddard and Paget, a local practice. Repairs were then made by Allen and Nixon in the 1960s. It is a large building in length as well as height and features an ornate octagonal turret with fenestrated stone ringing stage and bell-stage with pinnacles and spirelet at the north-west corner, giving some vertical emphasis. The west facade has stone bands and chequered stone and brick in the gable head. Under this a large Perpendicular west window with a multifoiled head, above a lean-to porch with tiled roof and centre pointed arch.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
6-bay aisled nave with west lobby and shallow transepts, long 3-bay chancel.
Dimensions:
Nave c 30m (100ft) x 8m (26ft), chancel 9m long .
Footprint of Church buildings: 618 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
Leicester was the Roman Ratae Coritanorum, but this church is in the eastern part of the modern city, outside the Roman and later Medieval town. Archaeological evidence from this or other periods is possible but not expected from this site.
The church was built in 1886 to designs by Goddard and Paget, a local architect’s practice also responsible for Humberstone St Barnabas. Repairs by Allen & Nixon in the 1960s. A small kitchen has been inserted at the west end necessitating the removal of the old font to the south transept, but the church is otherwise almost unchanged.
Exterior Description
This is a large church, impressing as much through its length as its height; an extremely ornate and complex octagonal turret with fenestrated stone ringing stage and bell-stage with pinnacles and spirelet at the north-west corner gives a little vertical emphasis, although partly hidden by trees. The rather fussy west facade has stone bands and chequered stone and brick in the gable head. Under this is a large Perpendicular west window with a multifoiled head, above a lean-to porch with tiled roof and central pointed arched entrance with blind tracery in the head flanked by small 2-light windows. Miniature buttresses and gablets to the corners.
The long aisled nave has a timber clearstorey with rectangular windows of three lights and labels. The aisles have paired pointed windows with Perpendicular tracery between buttresses, single lights to the chancel. The east window is a 5-light in the same style as the west window, and there are 3-lights to the transept side walls. There are unused shallow gabled porches with moulded pointed stone doorways at the east and west end of the nave on the north side, accessed only by a narrow alley which also gives access to the school.
Building Materials
Timber
Victorian/Pre WWI Timber clearstorey, roofs and arcades.
Tile
Victorian/Pre WWI Tiled roofs.
Brick
Victorian/Pre WWI Brick with stone dressings.
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is an impressively wide space, its appearance defined by the use of timber for the complex “false” hammerbeam roof, timber clearstorey and pointed timber arcades on octagonal stone piers. These have intricately carved foliate capitals. Timber beams are taken from the capitals to the outer walls resting on carved corbels, those to the transepts and east end with angels. The clearstorey around the timber openings is whitewashed, otherwise the walls are bare brick.
The west end has stone steps leading up the west wall to the ringing stage in the south corner, the new kitchen with serving desk in the north. Woodblock floor to the nave, some areas of blue carpet. The nave is filled with open-backed chairs, a modern nave altar has been brought in. Lady Chapel in the north transept, the south transept, once a War Memorial Chapel, is now used as a storage space for unused furniture, including the original font.
There is no chancel arch or other visual break, so that the High Altar with its fine reredos and other high quality fittings is visible from all parts of the long aisled nave. There are good oak choir stalls with poppyheads and tracery panels in the chancel, which is raised by 3 steps, good low wrought iron chancel gates. Behind the choir stalls are timber galleries with panelled fronts and walkways underneath. The organ console is on the north side, the pipes displayed to the nave within the timber frame of the galleries, all in all a very idiosyncratic arrangement. The chancel has an excellent tessellated floor with floral patterns. Stepped stone sedilia and piscina in the south wall with carved cornice.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
19th Century High altar oak chest with gilded panels with inlaid shields and symbols, good. Nave altar, Lady Chapel altar, plain tables.
Pulpit
19th Century Hexagonal oak with open tracery panels, stone base, very good.
Lectern
20th Century Brass eagle, large, given 1914.
Font (component)
20th Century Squat octagonal bowl stone font, now stored in the south transept. Fine “birdcage” wrought iron cover. Portable wooden font donated in memory of John Paul Mason, died 1988.
Stained Glass (window)
19th Century to 20th Century East window has Crucifixion, probably by Burlison & Grylls, after 1880, a good window. As well as St Mary Magdalene, St Mary and John, St Barnabas and St Paul are depicted. Chorus of Angels, Agnus Dei in the head. Sermon on the Mount (also good – who by?) in the south transept above the War Memorial and Christ the Light of the World (20th-century, unexceptional) in the north transept.
Plaque (object)
20th Century Several 20th-century tablets. Various plaques on chairs, tables etc, including one given by William and Flora Brodie in thanksgiving for the safe return of their three sons from World War I.
Organ (component)
19th Century Electronic organ, the original pipe organ by Brindley & Foster has been dismantled, leaving just the pipes. An organ of 1842 by W White of Mancetter is being restored in the north transept by a local enthusiast.
Altar Rail
19th Century Oak with open tracery, good quality.
Reredos
19th Century Large painted triptych, Christ flanked by the Virgin and St John, riddle posts. Very pre-Raphaelite. Oak panelling against east wall. Similar but more conventional to the Lady Chapel.
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Registers, presumably from 1886.
Collection of chairs and desks.
Collection of chairs and desks.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SK 611 52
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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