Nominal: 940 Hz Weight: 523 lbs Diameter: 30.63" Bell 1 of 3
Founded by Hugh I Watts 1614
Dove Bell ID: 2658 Tower ID: 16070 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: quarter Cracked: No
Freeby: St Mary
Overview
Grid reference: SK 803 201
The church is typical of north-east Leicestershire, where a particular hallmark is a Perpendicular tower with a lozenge frieze around the parapet. The church stands on a mound on the north side of a dead-end country lane, and its tower is visible from some distance. There is what appears to be a hollow way running along the north side of the churchyard. The earliest fabric appears to belong to the early 14th century, but the font suggests a late 12th- or early 13th-century origin at the latest. Most of the window tracery, the clerestorey and the tower is of the 15th or early 16th century. There was a rigorous restoration when the aisles were rebuilt in 1893-4.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
West tower, 3-bay aisled nave, chancel, south porch.
Dimensions:
Nave 12m (40ft) long, 5m (16ft) wide.
Footprint of Church buildings: 243 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
There is scattered evidence for a possible Roman villa site in the area, and a 6th- and 7th-century cremation and inhumation cemetery was discovered in 1827 at Stapleford Park, Saxby. In 1890-91 construction on the Saxby-Bourne loop railway line located another part of the cemetery. All graves had associated grave goods. There is also ridge-and-furrow and other Medieval settlement remains around the village. The site has considerable archaeological potential and the Historic Environment Record and County Archaeologist should be consulted if any change or development of the site is contemplated.
Freeby is mentioned in the Domesday Book, but not a church. The earliest fabric appears to belong to the early 14th century, but the font suggests a late 12th- or early 13th-century origin at the latest. Most of the window tracery, the clearstorey and the tower is of the 15th or early 16th century. There was a rigorous restoration when the aisles were rebuilt in 1893-4.
The church is now in a united benefice with several other parishes including the neighbouring village of Saxby, where the church of St Peter closed in 2008 (PM report 1978). No use has yet been found for the latter. The tower of another church at Brentingby west of Freeby is looked after by the CCT, the rest of the building having been turned into a house in 1977, and three other nearby churches have also been vested.
Exterior Description
The church is typical of north-east Leicestershire, where a particular hallmark is a Perpendicular tower with a lozenge frieze around the parapet. The tower is of three stages, with moulded stringcourses and clasping buttresses receding to the parapet. Moulded plinth of ogee profile. 2-light pointed window to the first stage with quatrefoil head, moulded slit to the second with label and belfry with paired trefoil-headed lights, again with quatrefoils in the heads. Angle gargoyles and embattled parapet with corner pinnacles.
The nave and chancel have chamfered sill bands and eaves and coped east gables with kneelers and finial crosses. The clearstorey has three cusped double lancets with Tudor arched heads and hood moulds, some browner stone used in the upper south side. The west walls of the aisles have paired ogee lancet windows under labels with headstops, heavily restored.
The north aisle has diagonal buttresses and an almost central pair flanking a restored, moulded 14th-century door, east of this a restored ogee double lancet with flat head. All the openings have hoodmolds, mostly with mask stops. West end has an ogeed double lancet square window with a chamfered reveal and flat head, now boarded up. The east end has a similar window with a coved reveal. This window is broken and boarded up with an RSJ to support the wall, and generally there is much subsidence and cracking visible in the aisle walls, particularly around the doorway.
The south aisle has two restored ogee double lancets, but the east end has a 14th-century 3-light pointed window with intersecting tracery. All these lancets have hood moulds, mostly with mask stops. The south porch has flanking buttresses and coped gable with cross. Chamfered 14th-century doorway with octagonal responds and hoodmould. In each side wall is a single unglazed ogee lancet.
The chancel has diagonal buttresses at the east end. The north wall has a cusped transomed single lancet with hoodmould in the west bay. The east end has a 19th-century ogee 5-light pointed window with 4-centred head, panel tracery, hoodmould and mask stops. The south wall has a 14th-century ogee double lancet with flat head and an early 14th-century ogee double lancet in the east bay, both with hoodmoulds.
Building Fabric and Features
Tower (component)
Medieval west tower
Nave
Medieval 3-bay aisled nave
Chancel
Medieval
Porch
Medieval South porch
Building Materials
Conglomerate
14th Century
Sandrock
Limestone
14th Century
Upper Lincolnshire Limestone
Welsh Slate
14th Century
Welsh Slate
Lead
roof
Stone
Medieval Coursed ironstone rubble with brown stone upper areas to the clearstorey and porch walls
Limestone
Medieval Tower grey limestone ashlar with limestone dressings.
Interior
Interior Description
The porch interior has stone benches and a 19th-century arch braced roof. Tiled floor. Early 14th-century doorway, shafts with fillet moulding and hoodmould with mask stops. 19th-century door. We had to evict a hen to gain entry. Moving inside and looking west, double chamfered and rebated tower arch with hood mould and round responds, pointed doorway to stone steps to ringing stage. The floors are of decorative tiles throughout, with many fine ledger slabs. As noted above, all furnishings and fittings are covered in plastic sheets, liberally covered in bat droppings. The glass from the north aisle east window lies on the floor in the nave.
The early 14th-century north arcade has restored octagonal piers and responds with moulded bases and capitals. Similar south arcade has piers with four filleted main shafts and four subsidiary shafts, and octagonal responds. Moulded bases and capitals. Double chamfered and rebated arches with hoodmoulds. Both aisles have a plain aumbry at the east end. There are fragments of wall paintings, floral designs, in the window reveals to the eastern windows of the south aisle.
The chancel has a double chamfered and rebated arch with octagonal responds, with cracks running the height of the wall down to it. 19th-century panelled roof with arch braces and moulded wall shafts. The north wall has an aumbry with a heavily moulded surround, the south an early 14th-century roll-moulded piscina. Four 16th-century benches with poppyheads, carved Gothic Bishop’s chair with pinnacles to back, good. Black and white marble squares and marble steps.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
17th Century? to 18th Century Communion table in the nave, oak with thick turned legs; late 17th-century? Late 18th-century Gothick styled altar table in sanctuary.
Pulpit
19th Century Softwood pulpit, really a reading desk.
Lectern
19th Century Brass eagle.
Font (component)
12th Century to 13th Century Late 12th- or very early 13th-century square font with a Maltese cross on each side within a circle, on an octagonal stem. Green with mould.
Stained Glass (window)
19th Century North aisle windows have brightly coloured borders, c 1840. In poor condition.
Gravestone
18th Century A number of good 18th-century ledgers re-laid in the floor
Plaque (object)
18th Century to 19th Century Pedimented marble and slate tablet on brackets with cherub in the chancel north wall, to Henry Hubbard 1711, and arched top slate tablet to Mary Hubbard in the south aisle, 1731. Within the tower space is the Royal Arms painted on canvas, signed and dated by Newbold and Widdowson, 1835.
Organ (component)
19th Century Small one-manual pipe organ by Hill & sons of 1890, a very good and potentially interesting instrument.
Altar Rail
19th Century Iron standards with oak rail.
Bells
Nominal: 1119 Hz Weight: 407 lbs Diameter: 27" Bell 2 of 3
Founded by Hugh II Watts 1631
Dove Bell ID: 21403 Tower ID: 16070 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: quarter Cracked: No
Nominal: 1056 Hz Weight: 422 lbs Diameter: 28.38" Bell 3 of 3
Founded by George I Oldfield 1658
Dove Bell ID: 21404 Tower ID: 16070 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: quarter Cracked: No
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Registers from 1604, held at PRO.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SK 803 201
Burial and War Grave Information
The church/building is consecrated.
The churchyard has been used for burial.
The churchyard is used for burial.
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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