For this church:

Introduction

Location

Listing Description

Norton Cuckney St Mary

Official Listing Description

Parish church. C12, C13, mid C13, C15, C16, restored 1667, 1892 and 1907. Dressed coursed rubble and ashlar, some brick. Slate roofs. Stone coped nave with kneelers and single ridge cross. Tower, nave, north aisle, north vestry, chancel and south porch. The embattled tower with 4 crocketted pinnacles and 7 worn gargoyles is set on a plinth with a heavy moulded band over. There is a string course at the juncture of the 2 stages, the top stage being ashlar. The first C12 stage with ashlar quoins has a clasping stair turret at the south west corner with single rectangular lights and single round tie plates to the west and south. The arched west doorway with inner chamfered arch and wooden door has a hood mould. Above, under a flat head, is a C16 2-light window with single stone mullion, probably replacing an arched opening. There is a single round tie plate with 2 similar tie plates on the north side. Above, to south and west, are single C20 clock faces. In the bell chamber are 4 arched, mid C13, double 2-light openings with hood moulds. The south and east have single decorative shaped openings in the spandrel. Over all the bell chamber openings are single cross tie plates. Abutting the west wall of the north aisle is a lean-to with ashlar quoins and arched doorway with wooden door in the north wall. The buttressed north aisle with stone coping and kneelers to the west and east has a single C16 window under a flat head. To the left is a single C16 2-light window with flush quoin surround, single stone mullion and flat head, a single part blocked opening now containing a casement with traceried head and hood mould over and 3 C16 2-light windows with flush quoin surrounds, single stone mullions and flat heads. The clerestorey has 6 similar, smaller 2-light windows. The vestry has some red brick and a single protruding ashlar stack. There is a single window with 3 arched lights with stone mullions under a flat head. The stone coped east wall with kneeler has a single similar window. The stone coped chancel with kneelers is set on a plinth and has clasping buttresses. In a larger, now blocked opening, is a single arched window with 4 arched lights, panel tracery and hood mould. Under is a string course which extends around the north and south chancel walls. Inscribed over the window is "Rebuilt 1892" and above, "1667". The south chancel wall has a central doorway with chamfered arch and hood mould flanked by single arched C15 windows each with 3 arched lights, panel tracery and hood mould. There is evidence of an earlier opening to the right. The south nave wall is buttressed and set on a plinth with heavy moulded band over. There are 3 C15 arched windows each with 3 lights, tracery and hood mould. There are 5 round tie plates and 3 gargoyles. Between the western most windows is the C13 porch set on a plinth with clasping buttresses, decorative eaves band and impost band. The arched entrance has 2 engaged columns with worn and restored stiff leaf capitals. The arch over is decorated with remnants of nailhead, there is a similarly decorated hood mould with worn head label stops. Over is a sundial. The inner C12 doorway has an inner order of chevron to jambs and arch and an outer order of thick cable motif, with hood mould and mythical head label stops. Over is an incised circle and cross. There is a double wooden door. The west wall has remnants of a decorated capital. In the north east corner is a stone stoup. Interior. The C13 6 bay nave arcade with double chamfered semi-circular arches with C20 steel supports, has at the west a circular respond and a single circular column, both with octagonal capitals, to the east are 2 quatrefoil plan columns with moulded capitals and finally 2 octagonal columns and respond with moulded capitals. The double chamfered tower arch with inner arch supported on corbels has a restored screen under with remnants of C15 panel tracery. Above is evidence of heightening. The arch is flanked by single round tie plates. The chamfered chancel arch is supported on octagonal responds. The chancel/organ chamber has a double chamfered arch, with inner arch supported on corbels decorated with billet type moulding. The north vestry doorway has a chamfered arch. The south chancel wall has a piscina with dog tooth and nailhead moulding to jambs and arch. Under the east window is a string course with evidence of different window openings. The south doorway has remnants of label stops. The interior north aisle windows are arched. In the north aisle is a stone stoup decorated with dog tooth. In the nave is a C17 oak chest with iron fittings. The font and furniture are early C20. On the east and south nave walls are single floral design C18 candle holders. In the nave floor is a worn slab of black marble, reputed to be the tomb of Robert Pierrepont, c.1643.