Church Of St Laurence

Church of St Laurence

Parish church of the late 12th century, 13th century, circa 1334, and 15th century, restored by Street in 1868, with early 20th century additions and alterations. The building is constructed of ashlar for the tower, transept, and vestry, with coursed rubble stone used elsewhere. The tower and south transept have a moulded plinth, whilst other parts have a plain plinth. The roofs are steeply pitched with plain tiles covering the nave, chancel, and south transept, with a stone coped eastern gable to the chancel set on moulded stone kneelers. The south aisle has a slate roof.

The three-stage Perpendicular west tower dominates the composition. It is constructed in large ashlar and features full height stepped angle buttresses to all four corners, with a gableted staircase turret to the south containing small slit windows. The west elevation displays a pointed window to the first stage with 19th century panel tracery and a crude hoodmould above. Within an original nodding ogee-headed niche sits a 20th century statue, beneath which are three coats of arms of the Ferrers and Gresley families. The south elevation contains a blocked pointed doorcase. The bell stage has pointed two-light louvred bell openings to all sides, each with cusped Y-tracery set in deep surrounds and a chamfered sill band. Metal clockfaces are positioned at the bases of the south and east openings. Above the bell stage is a coved eaves stringcourse with gargoyles at the centre of each side and embattled parapets with pinnacles.

The main body comprises a nave with a late 12th century south aisle, a south transept, a 1934 north vestry, and a lower 13th century chancel. The north nave elevation shows a vestry at the west end with stepped angle buttresses, a slate roof, and an external stack to the east gable, with a moulded eaves band below the blocking course. The west gable wall has a moulded doorcase with a studded oak door. The north elevation displays two two-light windows beneath Tudor hoods with trefoil-headed lights and a decorative hopper head between. Further east along the north nave wall are traces of a late 12th century semi-circular arch, followed by two four-light flat-headed windows of 1934 with unusual cusped diamond-shaped tracery to the top of each light. Large 15th century buttresses are positioned at either end.

The north chancel elevation contains a lancet window to the west and the Disbrowe family vault to the east, enclosed by railings, with two stone wall memorials to Edward Disbrowe and his wife, who died in 1818 and 1798 respectively. Beyond this is a 19th century organ bay with a small lancet to the north, followed by another lancet to the chancel. The east end features a triple stepped lancet window with continuous hoodmould, designed by Scott, flanked by clasping stepped buttresses.

The south chancel elevation has a 19th century lancet to the east and an adjoining pair to the west, with a Caernarvon-arched doorcase and a 13th century lancet beyond. The circa 1334 transept has been substantially restored and displays a continuous moulded sill band. Its east elevation contains two three-light windows with pointed crude Decorated tracery and hoodmoulds, separated by a stepped buttress. The south elevation has a four-light 19th century window with stepped clasping buttresses to either side. The west elevation has a similar 14th century two-light window at the south end.

The south aisle features adjoining cusped lancets to the east and a raised 19th century gabled doorcase to the west with a moulded pointed door and hoodmould, whilst the west wall contains a large lancet window.

The interior reveals a three-bay late 12th century south arcade with double stepped arches; the outer arch is chamfered and the inner arch is plain, carried on columns with circular stylised leaf capitals, each slightly different. The tower contains a tall continuous moulded pointed arch, and a similar arch connects the south aisle to the south transept, cutting into the nave arcade. All transept windows have moulded edges and hoodmoulds, and the transept roof preserves an original moulded stone cornice with an arched braced 19th century roof above. The nave and chancel have 19th century roofs, with the nave roof featuring collared trusses and large cusped windbraces, whilst the chancel roof is barrel-vaulted with angel carvings.

A semi-circular 12th century door at the west end of the nave leads into the north vestry. The chancel contains a triple stone sedilla with trefoil-headed arches and an adjoining piscina. On the opposite wall are two alms cupboards with carved wooden doors. The carved oak altar, reredos, altar rails, and choir stalls date to circa 1935 and are by Reverend F Fisher. The organ bay houses a handsome late 19th century organ.

Across the west end of the chancel is an elaborately carved rood screen with timber fan vaulting supporting a gallery above, signed AL and dated 1896. The gallery is accessed via a stone newel staircase to the north side, passing the octagonal carved oak pulpit, also a Fisher piece. Other Fisher works include a Perpendicular-style oak screen to the tower, an elaborately weighted font cover, the lobby to the south door, and the screen from the aisle into the transept, which features sheep carved to its top. The nave contains plain late 19th century pews, some with poppy heads to the bench ends, whilst the tower houses an octagonal stone font.

The transept contains a 19th century triple sedilla and piscina with moulded hoodmoulds and stops carved with the initials MS and TS. A 14th century moulded tomb niche with a mutilated effigy is also present.

The church contains several significant monuments. The chancel floor displays four late 17th century alabaster slabs and a brass dated 1492, which was restored in 1886. A fine wall memorial on the south wall dates to circa 1680 and commemorates Thomas Bearcroft, featuring black barley-sugar columns supporting a pediment topped by a large achievement flanked by putti, with a bust within the aedicule. The north wall monument to William Taylor, dated circa 1733, has a classical aedicule in coloured marble. The chancel also displays a large brass chandelier dated 1733. The nave contains two wall memorials to the Gisborne family, one from circa 1852 and another from circa 1892.

The tower is filled with mid 19th and early 20th century wall memorials to members of the Disbrowe family, mostly slate with marble and crests to the top. An exception is a circa 1793 memorial to Charlotte Disbrowe on the south side, which is sarcophagus-shaped with a scrolled top. The west end of the south aisle displays four slate and white marble wall memorials from the early to mid 19th century, and a worn late 16th century alabaster slab.

The stained glass windows are all late 19th or early 20th century. The chancel has a figurative early 20th century east window, brightly coloured glass of circa 1872 in the eastern lancets, circa 1903 glass in the central south window, and similar glass in the two western lancets. The north nave window contains glass by C Webb dated 1932, whilst the south aisle has glass by Swaine Bourne of Birmingham from circa 1880. The west window of the tower displays late 19th century stained glass.