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Church of St Mary, Wansford
This church was until relatively modern times a chapel of ease to the parish church of Thornhaugh before becoming a parish church in its own right.
Parts of the structure – the west wall of the nave and possibly parts of the south wall - are thought to date back to the Saxon period; a small lancet high in the west wall of the nave is certainly of Saxon workmanship. The south door is Transitional, c.1200, and the north aisle arcade slightly later, although the arches are still round. The capitals have nail-head decoration of the period.
The tower is probably of similar date, the broach spire – typical of the Nene valley – being added in the 13th century.
As early as about 1400, the church was in a poor state of repair, and the chancel collapsed, and the church laid claim to being the smallest parish church in England. This changed when the current chancel was erected in 1902. The south wall was rebuilt in 1663 together with the south porch.
The most significant internal fitting is the exceptional Norman font, dated to around 1120. It carries a frieze of figures in 13 arcaded bays, some of which are thought to represent the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. The font is not original to the church, being possibly from the church of the lost village of Sibberton, and was rescued from being used as a cattle watering trough. It is mounted on what is thought to be the bowl of the original font, unearthed during the construction of the chancel.
The church is Listed Grade I.
Parts of the structure – the west wall of the nave and possibly parts of the south wall - are thought to date back to the Saxon period; a small lancet high in the west wall of the nave is certainly of Saxon workmanship. The south door is Transitional, c.1200, and the north aisle arcade slightly later, although the arches are still round. The capitals have nail-head decoration of the period.
The tower is probably of similar date, the broach spire – typical of the Nene valley – being added in the 13th century.
As early as about 1400, the church was in a poor state of repair, and the chancel collapsed, and the church laid claim to being the smallest parish church in England. This changed when the current chancel was erected in 1902. The south wall was rebuilt in 1663 together with the south porch.
The most significant internal fitting is the exceptional Norman font, dated to around 1120. It carries a frieze of figures in 13 arcaded bays, some of which are thought to represent the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. The font is not original to the church, being possibly from the church of the lost village of Sibberton, and was rescued from being used as a cattle watering trough. It is mounted on what is thought to be the bowl of the original font, unearthed during the construction of the chancel.
The church is Listed Grade I.
Created: Thu, 31 Dec 2015, Updated: Thu, 31 Dec 2015
10 images use this description: (all images taken in 2015)
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