St Leonard's Church, Apethorpe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Leonard's, Apethorpe |
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| OS grid reference | TL 0249695701 |
| Location | Apethorpe, Northamptonshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 23 May 1967 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Oundle |
| Archdeaconry | Oakham |
| Diocese | Peterborough |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Leonard's Church is a special old church in the village of Apethorpe, England. It's an active church that belongs to the Anglican faith. This is a type of Christian church that is part of the Church of England. The church is located in the Diocese of Peterborough. It is so important that it has been given a Grade I listed building status by English Heritage. This means it's a really old and important building, like a national treasure!
Contents
History of St Leonard's Church
The main parts of St Leonard's Church were built a very long time ago. Most of it dates back to the 14th or 15th century. That's between the years 1300 and 1499! There might have been an even older building on this spot before that.
Later, in the 17th century, a small chapel and a tall tower were added to the church. Then, in the 19th century, the tower was fixed up. This kind of repair work is often called a Victorian restoration, because it happened during the time Queen Victoria was on the throne.
On May 23, 1967, the church was officially named a Grade I listed building. This special listing is for buildings that are "exceptionally interesting." They are sometimes even thought to be important around the world.
What Does St Leonard's Church Look Like?
Outside the Church
The church is built from strong limestone blocks. These blocks are carefully cut and shaped, and the roof is made of lead. The church has a main area called a nave, with two side sections called aisles. It also has a chancel (the part where the altar is), a tower at the west end, a small chapel on the south side, and a south porch.
The tower has three levels and doesn't have any buttresses (supports). It has a decorative top edge called a battlemented parapet. On top of the tower is an eight-sided spire that points upwards.
Both the north and south aisles have three sections, called bays. These aisles and the south chapel are supported by two-stage buttresses. These supports are placed between each window.
Inside the Church
The main part of the church, the nave, has a beautiful arcade with three sections. An arcade is a row of arches supported by columns. The arches here have a special double-chamfered design. There is also a decorative arch that leads into the tower.
In the chancel, you can see a carved stone support called a corbel. The pulpit, where sermons are given, and the baptismal font, used for baptisms, are both from the 18th century.
The south chapel holds some important historical items. There's a large marble monument for Sir Anthony Mildmay (who died in 1617) and his wife Lady Grace Mildmay (who died in 1620). You can also see a statue, called an effigy, of Sir Richard Dalton (who died in 1442). Plus, there's a 19th-century marble monument for a baby named John Arthur Fane. He was the infant son of Lord Burghersh.
Churchyard Features
The area around the church, called the churchyard, also has some old and interesting things. There's a limestone cross from around the 14th century. There's also a stone chest tomb from the 18th century. Both of these have been given a Grade II listing by English Heritage. This means they are also important historical structures.
