Church Of St Andrew

Church of St Andrew

This Grade I listed church comprises a west tower that was heightened in stages from the 12th to 15th centuries, a nave with 12th and 13th century north and south aisles, a 13th century south porch, and an east chancel that was rebuilt in 1869.

The exterior is principally constructed of large ashlar blocks of Triassic Mercia Mudstone, a hard fine-grained sandstone known as skerry, probably quarried locally. Other materials include magnesium limestone in window surrounds and upper stages of the tower; Ancaster limestone for patching, as skerry is no longer available; tufa in the south wall of the chancel; and Lias in the south wall. The roofs are clad in Cumberland slate. Most of the interior stonework is magnesium limestone, though the dressing stones of the chancel are oolitic limestone, and tufa is used around the arches.

The church has chamfered plinths and rainwater heads dated 1869. The west tower is in two stages, marked by a string course. It has a moulded plinth and four diagonal buttresses with three offsets to the west and two to the east. The first stage has three stair lights and a small slit window to the south; to the west, a 13th century roll-moulded doorway with hood-mould and above it a 15th century triple lancet with cusped heads in a coved four-centred arched surround with splayed mullions. The stained glass, inserted in 1905, depicts three saints each with an angel above. Each face of the tower has a 19th century clock. The second stage has four 14th century cusped trefoil head double lancet bell openings with splayed mullions in chamfered and splayed openings with hood-moulds. Above is a panelled eaves band with four gargoyles and a moulded crenellated parapet.

The nave clerestory has chamfered eaves and a coped gable with kneelers and a cross. On each side it is lit by four 15th century double lancets with mullions and rebated square-headed reveals. The north aisle and north aisle chapel has a sill band and a pair of gabled diagonal buttresses with moulded plinths and single offsets. The north aisle has three similar gabled buttresses with two offsets. The west end is lit by a 19th century cusped ogee-headed triple lancet in 15th century style with Decorated tracery, chamfered mullions, chamfered square-headed reveal, and hood-mould with stops. The north aisle chapel has to the north a restored 14th century triple lancet with cusped ogee heads, Decorated tracery, chamfered mullions, chamfered square-headed reveal and a hood-mould with mask stops. To the right are two similar 14th century triple lancets, then a 13th century blocked doorway with a chamfered reveal and hood-mould with stops, followed by a 14th century double lancet with cusped ogee heads and similar detailing to the other windows. The east end is lit by a restored 14th century triple lancet with similar detailing.

The south aisle has a similar roof to the north aisle and consists of four bays, with the westernmost being narrower and earlier. It has a pair of gabled corner buttresses and a similar single intermediate buttress, all with two offsets and moulded plinths. All windows are ogee-headed with similar surrounds to those already described. From the left is a triple lancet window, followed by a porch with diagonal buttresses under a moulded gable surmounted by a cross and cross-gabled pinnacles on both corners. The porch has a chamfered plinth and stone banding, and a moulded pointed arched doorway. The inner door has a cusped ogee head with head stops and a plank and batten door with decorative iron strap hinges. To the right are two double lancet windows: the first containing glass depicting St George and the Dragon by Heaton, Butler and Bayne, probably from 1900; and the second depicting St John the Evangelist and St John the Baptist, made by Dudley Forsyth and inserted after 1911. The east side has a 14th century triple lancet window depicting Mercy, Peace and Justice, inserted after 1897; the maker is not known.

The chancel has a similar roof to the nave. The triple lancet window on the east side, dating from the 1869 restoration, contains stained glass designed by J. W. Powell and made by J. Hardman of Birmingham, depicting the Crucifixion with the Last Supper on the left and Christ with the four evangelists on the right. The other four lancet windows of the chancel contain glass produced in the same workshop and inserted between 1880 and 1890. On the south side the windows show St John and St Luke; on the north side St Mark and St Matthew.

The interior has a 19th century principal rafter roof with a spine beam and curved braces to the collars. The four-bay arcade consists of circular piers with four-sided capitals, one with foliate carving. The 13th century chancel arch is chamfered and rebated with a hood mould and filleted shaft responds with moulded capitals and bases. A geometrical design painted above the arch, forming spandrels, was added in the first half of the 20th century, covering a 19th century wall painting. The chancel has a panelled dado with an inscription in memory of Dean Hole, 1905, incorporating a piscina; on the north side the westernmost arched opening contains an organ in a fretted case dating to 1871. The south aisle has a 13th century piscina with an ogee head, and there is another, much simpler, piscina in the north aisle.

The fittings include a 13th century font with an octagonal bowl, tapered octagonal stem with a moulded base and capital; a 19th century pierced panelled timber pulpit on a corbelled ashlar base; and a brass and iron lectern dated 1869 with a conical base, part twisted stem, crocketed capital and iron filigree bookstand. The pews, added in 1869, are of moulded softwood, and the choir stalls in the chancel are of oak with moulded pierced panels, dating to 1905. The softwood communion table and simple oak communion rail supported by ironwork, both date to the 1869 restoration.

Numerous monuments are present inside the church, mostly in the form of plaques or tablets, dating from the 18th to 20th centuries. They include a classical marble and slate wall monument with an apron and obelisk crest carrying an urn and torch, to Samuel Hole, 1818, signed 'W & M New'k'; and a classical pedimented marble and slate tablet with a coat of arms, to S. Bristowe, 1818. As part of the 19th century restoration, a number of gravestones were relaid in the south aisle, including one dating to 1731 which appears to be amongst the earliest surviving gravestones in Caunton.