Church Of St Andrew

CHURCH OF ST ANDREW

Parish church in the Parish of Cubley, standing on the east side of Church Lane. The building spans from the mid 11th century through to the 20th century, with major phases of construction and alteration documented from the 12th, 13th, and late 15th centuries, along with 17th-century additions and alterations. The church was restored between 1872 and 1874 by J P St Aubyn, and again in 1909 when the south porch was added.

The structure is built of ashlar and coursed squared sandstone with rubble sandstone, finished with stone dressings. The roof is of plain tile, with the nave roof featuring bell canted eaves and stone coped gables bearing moulded kneelers, plus eastern ridge crosses to both the nave and chancel.

The building comprises a western tower, a nave of similar width to the tower with a southern aisle and porch, and a chancel. The three-stage western tower dates to the late 15th century and is built of ashlar. It has a deep plinth with moulded copings and full-height stepped angle buttresses at all four corners. The west elevation displays an elaborately moulded, pointed doorcase with hoodmould and carved spandrels featuring dagger-like cusped panels surrounding a central coat of arms. Above this runs a moulded string course, followed by a large deeply recessed three-light transomed Perpendicular window with hoodmould. The north and south sides of the tower at this level bear friezes of the Montgomery coat of arms, and the south elevation includes thin staircase windows. A 19th-century clock face appears on the west elevation, whilst the north and south sides have deeply recessed quatrefoil windows. Above these sits a continuous string course and the third stage, featuring cusped Y-tracery, louvred bell openings with hoodmoulds on all sides (that to the south displaced eastward by the staircase), and embattled parapets with ridgeback copings and corner crocketed pinnacles.

The north nave elevation is of rubble stonework with herringbone patterns at the base and coursed squared sandstone above. Two large 17th-century two-light recessed and chamfered mullioned and transomed windows with leaded lights flank a large stepped buttress. The chancel, to the east, is of coursed squared sandstone with a crude plinth and two stepped buttresses. Between these stand two thin chamfered 13th-century lancets. The east window is a squat five-light intersecting tracery window with corner buttresses to either side. The south chancel wall has three chamfered lancets, that to the east being 19th-century and the others of the 13th century. Between the western two lancets is a 13th-century pointed doorcase with hoodmould. The south aisle to the west has a 17th-century two-light recessed and chamfered mullioned and transomed east window and two similar windows to the south, with stepped buttresses at either end. Above runs a moulded string course and low parapets with ridgeback copings. The south porch, standing to the west, features circular mouchette-traceried side windows and a cusped ogee-headed doorcase, with an inner doorcase of 13th-century date comprising a plain pointed arch with moulded imposts, chamfered jambs, and hoodmould.

The interior contains a late 12th-century three-bay south arcade with double semicircular arches on plain columns. The western column has a simple volute capital, the eastern column has a moulded capital, and the westernmost arch rests upon a moulded capital over a carved corbel head, whilst the easternmost arch rises from a polygonal respond. Above are three semicircular-headed deeply splayed clerestory openings and circular windows, of which only the central one remains unblocked, with a plain band below to the south side. The chancel arch is of 13th-century date with a pointed chamfered form on semi-circular responds with moulded capitals carved with crude heads. The tall 15th-century tower arch has a double chamfered pointed arch and hoodmould, rising on two thin attached shafts with ovolo moulding between and moulded capitals. The roofs, pulpit, and bench pews are of 19th-century date. A carved wooden rood screen by S T Nash spans the chancel arch, and an art nouveau ironwork screen of around 1914 crosses the tower arch, commemorating the dead of the First World War.

The chancel contains several fine monuments. An alabaster tomb chest commemorates Sir Nicholas Montgomery, who died in 1494. It features an armoured knight with his feet resting on a lion at the top, and angels holding shields to the sides. On the south wall of the chancel stands another alabaster tomb chest set within a moulded four-centred arched niche with crocketed pinnacles to the sides. The effigy has been lost, but the sides retain finely carved weepers beneath double ogee arches with crocketed tops. This tomb has been attributed to Harper and Moorecook of Burton, dating to around 1500. A similar niche without a tomb is set against the south wall of the south aisle. Also in the south-east corner of the chancel is a very worn stone slab carved with the figure of a woman, placed on the floor and probably of late 15th-century date.

Fragments of medieval glass survive in most of the chancel windows, though the east window contains stained glass of 1874. Fragments of painted decoration also survive above the chancel arch and the east arch of the nave arcade. A 12th-century circular font stands in the nave aisle, and two 19th-century commandment plaques are mounted on the nave north wall.