Church Heritage Record 608401

West tower, south-west porch, 4-bay nave and north aisle, chancel, north chapel.

Nave c 12m x 8m, chancel 4m long.

Foxearth is an ancient settlement, mentioned in Domesday.  There is assumed to have been a 12th-century church, but there is little material evidence to support this.  The nave is of uncertain date, possibly 13th-century. It seems that around 1350 the north aisle was added and the chancel rebuilt, perhaps lengthened. A century later the north aisle was widened and the north chapel added. The chancel arch may have been removed at this time.

The archaeological potential of the site is high, therefore reference should be made to the Historic Environment Record and contact made with the County Archaeologist if any development of the site is being considered.

Thorough restoration was carried out in the late 19th century by the Rev John Foster who added the south porch in 1848, and the proceeded to rebuild, restore, refurnish and redecorate the entire church. The next major addition was the huge west tower of c 1862 by Henry Woodyer, probably replacing an earlier tower. J Clarke did restoration works on the church in 1884-5, probably concentrating on the roofs.

The paintings in the nave were whitewashed over in the late 1950s. Some stained glass has also been removed.

The fabric of the tower is flint flushwork. The tower has a crenellated parapet, and stone dressed buttresses to belfry height. The belfry has a row of five louvred cusped lancet openings to each face. Angled stair tower to south-east, with hipped stone roof and lancet lights. Centre band with memorial inscription to Margaret Foster died 1861, animal carvings and biblical texts. There are clock faces to north, south and west with moulded semi-circular labels and foliate and gargoyle stops. Two lancet windows under clock to west face. West window with intersecting tracery, quatrefoil over. Label with foliate stops.

The rest of the church has crenellated parapets with crocketed pinnacles. The south porch has a pointed arch outer doorway of two orders, one foliated, the shafts with moulded bases and foliate capitals. Stone gable coping with angel corbels. Cross to apex, and statue of St Peter above the doorway. Patterned tiled floor which continues through into the church.

The nave has a window of three ogee lights with tracery over in segmental head in the eastern bay, and a 2-light window with transom and tracery over in pointed segmental head. Remnant c 1450 rere-arches and splays (ie there was never a south aisle as has been suggested in the past).  The north aisle and chapel are contiguous, with five windows of three ogee lights with tracery over, east window of three lights in segmental head, 2-light west window with segmental pointed head.  Pointed doorway in western bay with a plank and muntin door.

The south wall of the chancel has a 2-light east window of c 1450 with tracery in segmental pointed head under a chamfered label. 19th-century western bay window of three lights with tracery under a segmental pointed head, but internal details of the 15th century. There is a 19th-century doorway with pointed head between these windows. Chancel east window of c 1350 of three lights with ogee heads, leaf tracery in the head.

The porch has an inscription recording Revd Foster’s sponsorship. Moving inside and looking first west, within the high pointed tower arch is the huge organ case with stencilled pipes and painted doors “in the style of Fra Angelico” by Henrietta Fricker, with angels and texts. The lower area of the tower is lined with coloured mosaic, the upper area painted.

Looking east, any impression that this was essentially a Victorian rebuild is comprehensively dispelled.  Looking up, the restored and painted and gilded nave roof is possibly c 1340 with arched braces from wall pieces to raised ties with straight braces to collars above. The north arcade looks c 1350, of four bays with double chamfered 2-centred arches, also such an arch to the chapel from the aisle. The north aisle has a 15th-century lean-to roof with moulded timbers, curved brackets with carved spandrels to principals. The feet of the wall-posts are carved with foliage or faces. Crenellated wall plates, painted and gilt, probably c 1885.

The nave and aisle are fully pewed with pitch pine benches with squared ends. The chapel is used as a store room and vestry. In the place of a chancel arch stands an early 16th century, heavily restored rood screen dado with six original panels on each side of the doorway with traceried heads and quatrefoils at base. Painted, named figure of a saint in each panel. 19th century ogee filigree traceried screen over with 19th century rood, above this a chamfered and moulded beam, possibly 15th century, on curved brackets and a plastered and painted tympanum with late 19th century painting of Christ in Majesty, possibly by Clutterbuck.

Chancel roof of three bays, possibly c 1350, single hammerbeam with angels on the hammers. Painted and gilded, probably by J Clark c 1885.  The chancel walls are covered in late 19th-century paintings of saints and sunbursts on a green background, now quite dark and affected by effluorescence. Excellent late 19th-century carved choir stalls and reading desks with carved ends, angels and poppyheads, probably by Ringham.  Carved and painted panels in two tiers to right and left of painted altar and reredos. 15th-century but heavily restored piscina with hollow chamfered jambs and cinquefoiled head.  Three steps to the altar. Blocked pointed doorway to the chapel.