Ratcliffe on Soar
Holy Trinity

Archaeology

The church comprises a west tower with spire, a three-bay nave, north and south aisles, south porch, north chapel and two-bay chancel.

The core fabric dates from the C13 to C15.

According to Cox (1907) the fabric was 'for a long time in grievous state of neglect' during the C19 but in 1891 there was a partial restoration of the building 'when the unsightly boarding which enclosed the nave was removed, the chancel rescued from its previously desecrated condition, and the fabric in part new-roofed’. The architect is unknown. 

Significant Features

West Tower

Tower and spire
from the
south-east		 Corbel table

The C13 west tower is unbuttressed, of three stages with bands, corbel table and single corner pinnacles (in the form of small broached spires).

The plain early C14 broach spire has four lucarnes in two tiers. On the north, south and west sides there are C13 bell chamber openings with two pointed arched lights and hood mould; on the east side is a single arched light and hood mould beneath which is evidence of an earlier pitched nave roof.

North and south aisles and north chapel

The north aisle rebuilt
in the C18		 Lancet windows in the
north chapel walls		 Truncated arch
between north aisle
and north chapel
 C14 windows
in south wall

The arch between the north chapel and the north aisle has been truncated, indicating that the aisle was narrowed at some point. Cox (1907) is of the opinion that the insertion of 'debased round-headed windows' suggests the work took place in the latter part of the 18th century.

The north wall of the north chapel has a single small lancet and there is a single smaller lancet in the east wall. 

The south wall has two C14 arched three-light windows with cusped tracery, hood moulds and label stops. 

Chancel

East window Double lancet windows in
the south chancel wall		 Blocked south
chancel doorway		 Corbels on the south
chancel wall that
supported an
earlier roof

The four-light east window has geometric tracery and dates from c.1300. Pevsner (1979) calls it 'quite spectacular'.

The south chancel wall has three pairs of C13 double lancet windows and a blocked C13 doorway.

The corbels on the walls of the chancel that are the remaining evidence of the supports for the original hammer-beam roof, circa 1200.

South porch

South porch Graffito depicting a church

The gabled porch, set on a chamfered plinth, has a double chamfered arched entrance and two 'S' tie plates above.

The inner C14 moulded arched doorway has a hood mould; the stud door dates from the C17.

The inside walls of the porch contain old graffiti.

North and South Arcades

North arcade with
round-headed arches		 South arcade with
pointed arches		 North chancel/chapel
arcade		 Human head
supporting corbel
of south-east
respond

Three-bay C14 north and south arcades with hexagonal piers and moulded capitals. The south-east respond is decorated with nail head and further supported on a carved human head.

The arches of the south arcade are slightly pointed whereas those of the north arcade are round-headed, possibly the result of the rebuilding of the north aisle in the late C18.

The two-bay chancel/chapel arcade has a single circular column and octagonal responds.

North aisle/north chapel double chamfered arch, the north side truncated, the south side supported on an octagonal respond with moulded capital.

Tower Arch

Double chamfered C13 tower arch, the outer order supported on colonnettes with shaft rings.

Chancel Arch

Double chamfered chancel arch, the inner order supported on octagonal responds with moulded capitals.

Roof

The former
roofline on the east
face of the tower		 Corbels for former roof
on the chancel wall

During the 15th century the walls over the aisle arcades were raised and the original steep pitched roof was replaced by the current shallow pitched roof. The roofline shown on the outside of the eastern face of the tower indicates this as does three remaining corbels in the walls of the chancel.