Church architecture

Saint Botolph's in 1819

Saint Botolph's church is made from ironstone, with ashlar |facings and, at first glance, looks almost entirely Victorian from the outside. However, there has been a church on or near this spot since at least 1188 when advowson| was granted to Simon de Beauchamp and probably for many centuries before that. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heads on the north and south sides of the west door - January 2008

D.T.Powell in his book "Notes and Drawings - Bedfordshire" of 1810 remarked that "the church itself is in no way fine or curious". Nikolaus Pevsner in the volume on Bedfordshire, Huntngdonshire and Peterborough in his Buildings of England series describes the building as: "externally almost entirely Victorian". However, this Victorian look was the work of restorers|. Pevsner goes on to note that only the tower and the north arcade were "genuine", being Perpendicular| in style; certainly the heads seen above do not look Victorian. However, G.Boissier in his "Notes on Churches in the Diocese of Lincoln" of 1827 thought that the nave contained Decorated| work.

Saint Botolph's from the north - showing the north aisle, one of the few pieces of original architecture left - January 2008

The Department of Environment, when listing the church as Grade II* (a particularly important building of special interest) in 1961 considered that the nave| is 15th century and that the eastern part of the north aisle| (now the north chapel) is also medieval and, although the roofs are mostly 19th century, an original moulded king-post truss still stands at the east end of the north aisle which also has a 15th century screen.

 
Brass of John Danvers[?] [X67/934/11]

The circular font is 14th century with four shafts forming the corners and the north aisle has a tomb chest with the effigy of a knight on it - probably Sir William Tyrington and made about 1400; he was guardian of Sir Anselm de Guise II during his minority. The north aisle also has floor brasses. One of these has traditionally been ascribed to John Danvers, the Rector from 1395 to 1414. The other is thought to be of Sir John de Gyse IV of about 1500. In the north wall of the chancel is a brass to William Stone, rector from 1583 to 1617. The pulpit is constructed from English and Dutch carving of the 17th century.

 
Brass of Sir John de Gyse IV [X67/934/13]