Church Of St Andrew

WHISSENDINE

SK 81 SW MAIN STREET (North side)

5/150 Church of St. Andrew

14.6.54

GV I

Large church of C13-C15, restored 1870. Restoration by Sir G.G. Scott and J. Goddard. Ashlar and coursed squared stone with parapetted, battlemented and Collyweston slate roofs. W tower, nave, aisles, transepts, chancel and S porch. Fine C14 W tower of 3 stages with angle buttresses, the top parts moulded, W door and window linked by giant arch with 3 orders of shafts, 3 ogee-headed niches above, and tall elaborate bell-stage. Double 2-light bell openings with similar blank openings either side and shafts. Staircase on SW corner. Gargoyles, head frieze, parapet with arched openings and pinnacles with octagonal spirelets. Nave has C13 5 bay arcades, many moulded arches with head-moulds and head-stops on circular and quatrefoil piers. Perp clerestory with 6 large windows either side and fleuron frieze and battlements outside. 7 bay low-pitch tie beam roof with bosses, restored 1728, and with wall pieces and brace supported by 12 wooden seated figures under nodding-ogee canopies. C14 aisles have plinths, angle buttresses, head and fleuron friezes and battlements. Restored lean-to roof. Central N and S doors with 2 Perp windows either side. Similar W windows. C14 transepts, N with double chamfered arches to aisle and chancel, S with many hollow moulded arches to aisle and chancel. N window has Curvilinear tracery, S is incomplete but with Perp tracery. Chancel has windows of 1865, Perp tracery to E, with stained glass by Kempe of 1892, and Curvilinear to N and S. Roof is 4 bay low-pitch tie beam with wall pieces and braces on head corbels. Below a painted wooden high relief coat of arms and inscription records that Lady Abigail Sherard 'new roofed chansel, 1640'. Perp S porch with hollow chamfered arch and wrought iron gates, probably C19, and C13 S door arch. Screen between S aisle and S transept is C15 with ribbed coving and C16 doors. Brought from former chapel of St. John's College, Cambridge, at time of restoration. Font is Perp and octagonal with quatrefoils. Later base and C19 carved oak cover. 2 C12/C13 stone coffin lids in S aisle. C18 wall monuments and 2 painted hatchments. C19 brass lectern and carved stone pulpit of 1888. Carved, painted and gilded reredos and carved oak chancel panelling and pews of cl900. White's Leicestershire and Rutland, 1877, and Pevsner.

Listing NGR: SK8331214309