Bainton

Unfortunately a funeral was about to start when I arrived at St Mary, locked status unknown, so I only managed exteriors - a revisit is required.

I returned in early December and found it open, which is nice, but if I'm honest it's really rather dull.

ST MARY. The interior first. N arcade early C13. Three bays, circular piers, circular capitals and abaci, double-chamfered round arches. The W bay is later (pointed arch) and was built as a link with the new W tower. This is Dec. Angle buttresses. Each side in addition treated as a giant sunk panel. W window with Y-tracery but ogee details, tall tower arch towards the nave, bell-openings with Y-tracery, ballflower frieze. Spire with two tiers of lucarnes. Dec also the S doorway and the windows 1. and r. of it. Dec finally the N chapel (one bay, sunk quadrant mouldings). Late C13 rather than early C14 the two splendid PISCINAS, both not in situ: in the E wall of the chancel with a tall gable with naturalistic oak leaves and acorns; r in the E wall of the N aisle with crocketed gable and big finial. Perp chancel. In the E wall two brackets for images. - PLATE. Cup and Cover Paten, 1650. - MONUMENTS. Mary Henson d. 1805. By Sir Richard Westmacott. With a seated mourning young Grecian.

BAINTON. It has a long and picturesque green by which stand the ancient church and the shaft of the old cross, raised on very high steps and capped by a small stone ball. The decorated tower of the church is 14th century, and has a curious carved mullion at the belfry window, ballflower carving on all sides, and scraps of carved foliage set here and there among the plain stones. We come in by a charming 15th century porch with a crown of battlements. The nave has one arcade (on the north) from the end of the 12th century; the south aisle is 15th century, when the chancel also was built. The arch leading from the north aisle to the chapel is also 15th century. The sedilia, the piscina, and the brackets which once held statues have all little battlements. The font has clustered columns and is 700 years old. On the east wall of the north chapel is a marble relief by Richard Westmacott showing a figure mourning for Mary Henson who died in Trafalgar year. A wall monument in the north aisle to Robert Henson of 1734 tells us that he was Returning Ofiicer for Stamford and that bribes could not corrupt, promises seduce, nor threats deter him from doing his duty.

Flickr.