Church Heritage Record 628079

This essentially medieval church has been much restored, with the tower, north aisle and much of the chancel rebuilt. Nevertheless, it has mid-twelfth century fabric and an early twelfth century font demonstrating the site has a long history at the centre of this settlement, some good c.1400 (if fragmentary) wall painting suggesting substantial patronage, a senior ecclesiastical burial and some post-medieval memorials to important parishioners. The fabric then should be considered of high archaeological, architectural and historical significance, with the site at the centre of the village Conservation Area also of high significance.

Although Braunston remained a chapel to Hambleton until a separate vicarage was created in 1884, the church has twelfth century fabric (chancel arch responds, font and south door) and Roger de St John is termed ‘vicar’ in 1227, most likely more of a dedicated chaplain.

A date stone ‘IW 1615 KC’ now half-way up the tower suggests repairs were done then (perhaps in connection with work to the bells), but a contract dated 1729 with George Portwood, a leading Stamford mason, is for rebuilding the tower and north aisle; another stone exists at the top ‘WT WW CW 1729’.

A west gallery was erected in 1791, when the church was refurnished with box pews. By 1863, a new vestry had been added to the north side of the chancel, and the latter was restored by Ewan Christian in 1887-8. He rebuilt the east and south walls and ceiled the roof with pine board. He may also have added the pews in the nave, or they date from 1890, when further work was done by J.C. Traylen, for in 1920 Traylen & Lenton prepared a drawing for twelve new pews in the north and south aisles, one each in memory of twelve parishioners killed in the Great War (figure 2). Also from this time are the pulpit, brought here from Wisbech in 1921, the chancel stained glass 1919-1921 by C.E. Kempe & Co. (Walter Tower) and possibly the chancel furniture. A memorial records ‘extensive restorations’ in 1938 which might have reinstated tracery to the west window as it is not described in the VCH account. The clock and weathervane were restored in 2000.

The chancel responds with their multi-scallop capitals now support a pointed arch, perhaps of thirteenth century date. They indicate a mid-twelfth century chancel but the font bowl (retrieved in three pieces from the churchyard in 1890) is earlier, suggesting a church was here by about 1120. The round arch now leading to the vestry probably re-uses old stone, but is not a twelfth century construction. Although the round arch and carved decoration of the south nave door suggest a late twelfth century date, the south arcade with its pointed arches and smart round moulded capitals looks a generation later (as does the lancet window of the chancel). The south aisle wall is late fourteenth century, as are the other chancel windows, the north nave arcade and the tracery of the tower windows. If accurate copies of medieval windows, then the square topped north aisle windows suggest the aisle was late fourteenth century too. The clerestorey was probably added later in the fifteenth century; the stone rainwater pipe clasps still survive on the outside parapet stringcourse but the roof and stone corbels are post-medieval replacements.

Although quite extensive, the 1729 work re-used much material; the tower west window internal arch appears to retain some patches of limewash and the bell chamber openings have well detailed c.1400 tracery and some grotesque hood stops. The so-called sheela-na-gig stone, discovered in 1920 as a threshold to the porch, is not an obviously erotic figure. The exaggerated eyes and mouth suggest it belongs to the late medieval tradition of grotesques and gargoyles; it might be from the demolished tower. The blocked north door is thirteenth century but the hood mould has been reassembled off-centre to the arch below. The roofs of the nave and north aisle share constructional details and may well be eighteenth century too. The through purlin and chamfers of the south aisle roof suggest it is late medieval.

This modest church built of local ironstone rubble and limestone ashlar and dressings stands on a rise at the centre of this village of about 400 inhabitants. The village hall is adjacent to the southwest. The west tower has a small lead spire which is visible from the approach roads and the surrounding churchyard has a number of mainly nineteenth century stone memorials but few trees. There is a large extension churchyard to the west.

With the font, the fragmentary c.1400 wall paintings in the south aisle are the principal survivors of the medieval furnishings. They were discovered in the 1940s when the church was being redecorated and so have escaped being waxed. The clearest scene in the incomplete circle on the south wall depicts an altar with chalice and paten beside a black letter inscription, prompting suggestions that it might a teaching aid on the Seven Sacraments. The VCH suggest it is the Mass of St Gregory because of the patriarchal processional cross. The east wall painting (see photo) was the reredos to an altar, with a central canopy around the missing statue that stood on the stone corbel and angels either side censing it. To the top left are the Instruments of the Passion, suggesting the statue might have been a Pietà or Our Lady of Sorrows.

Other monuments and furnishings:

• There are a few floor memorials; a slate ledger with an attractive lightly engraved border to Orlando Brown (d.1794) in the north aisle floor but the most important is the large late medieval red Purbeck marble indent of what appears to be a bishop (or a mitred abbot) in front of the chancel arch - so presumably under the medieval rood.
• At the east end of the south aisle are two brasses (see photo); that of Kenelme Cheseldyne (d.1596) and his wife Winefred was recorded on a tomb in 1684. It now lies north-south and the inscription is upside down. Possibly in its original place is the adjacent brass to Edward Cheseldyne (d.1642).
• The lower half of a coped grave cover now cemented into the north aisle wall shows the bottom end of a cross with fleshy leaves either side. It may well belong to the fourteenth century ‘Lyddington Group’ of covers identified by Lawrence Butler. It also has a Nine Men’s Morris board scratched into it. It was probably discovered during the 1938 restorations as there is no mention of it in the 1935 VCH account, which does mention the medieval stone coffin then ‘in the south aisle’.
• There are some minor, but attractive wall memorials of slate with painted surrounds; that to James Tiptaft is signed Burton Somerby Fecit.