Church Of St Faith

KELSTERN TF 28 NE 7/31 Church of 9.3.67 St. Faith G.V. II*

Parish church. C14, C16, chancel rebuilt 1886. Squared coursed limestone rubble, ashlar render and slate roofs. Western tower, nave, chancel, north porch. 2 stage rendered tower having plain plinth, set back stepped buttresses, battlemented parapet, with single chamfered pointed louvred belfry lights, having moulded hoods. To the south side a 2 light window with moulded reveals and plain rectangular surround. The west door is double chamfered with moulded hood and human head label stops. The north wall of the nave has a 3 light C14 window with cusped ogee heads to the lights, quatrefoils and double chamfered surround and east of the porch is a similar window. The gabled north porch has a C19 outer arch with collared shafts to the responds and single chamfered arched surround, side benches and an inner doorway with C14 chamfered reveals and C19 moulded head. Further east in the north wall is a C16 3 light window, cusped heads to the lights and bold concave chamfered surround. The C19 ashlar vestry has 2 two light windows with moulded hoods and stops. There is a matching C19 geometric window in the north wall of the chancel. The larger east window is also of 3 lights and in a similar style. On the south side of the chancel are 2 windows matching that in the north. The south wall of the nave has 3 C16 windows matching that on the north side. Interior. The tower and chancel arches are both double chamfered with octagonal responds and moulded capitals. In the chancel on the north wall is an opening to the organ chamber and vestry having an octagonal respond to the east. All fittings are C19 apart from the C14 plain octagonal font which is supported on a base of engaged clustered shafts, and the 6 C16 bench ends at the west end of the nave which have pointed arched tops, and carvings of blank arcading, embattled brattishing and on one panel a scene of Reynard the Fox with a goose in his mouth, against a stippled ground. In the nave are 3 windows with stained glass by Sir Nicholas Comper to commemorate members of the Sleight family of Binbrook Hall. Monuments. In the south wall of the nave a distinctive alabaster wall monument to Elizabeth, wife of Sir Francis South of Kelstern, d.1604. The deceased is depicted seated with foot on skull, holding an hourglass. To right a chrism and she is flanked by putti with reversed torch and spade. A semi-circular arch rises from a gadrooned base and the back panel has strapwork design with epitaph, in the spandrels a sun dial and an allegorical scene. Beneath a black plaque recording her life. In the north wall of the nave a wall tablet to Ann South, d.1620, supported on classical head brackets, plain rectangular surround, with a cornice and cartouche above containing coat of arms, flanked by shields. Also a neo classical wall plaque with urn, to Richard Parnell Booth, d.1837, by Earle of Hull.

Listing NGR: TF2514989897