Church Of St Winifred

Church of St Winifred, Kingston on Soar

A parish church with a chancel and chancel aisle dating from around 1540, with the remainder of the structure and restorations completed in 1900 by R. Creed. The building is constructed of ashlar with plain tile roofs.

The church comprises a south-west tower with a stair turret to the north-east, a south aisle, south porch, nave, north vestry, chancel and chancel aisle. All elements are buttressed and set on a moulded plinth with a moulded band extending over, except the tower and stair turret which have a splayed plinth with moulded band, and the vestry which lacks the band. Parapets with single ridge crosses are present to the porch, chancel and chancel aisle.

The tower is of two stages with bands. The embattlements are decorated with blind tracery and single large similarly decorated corner crocketed pinnacles to all but the north-east corner, with single smaller pinnacles to the centre of each side. The west side has a single arched light with cusped panel tracery, hood mould and label stops. Above on the west, north and south sides are single arched and cusped lights with hood moulds and label stops. Four bell chamber openings each contain two arched and cusped lights under a flat arch with hood moulds and label stops. The south side displays a single clock face. The embattled stair turret projects from the north-east corner in three stages with bands. It has a chamfered arched doorway, two small rectangular lights and two quatrefoils.

The west wall of the nave features a single arched two-light window with reticulated tracery, hood mould and label stops. The north wall has a single arched two-light window with cusped panel tracery, to the left is a single arched three-light window with cusped panel tracery, and on the far left a single arched two-light window with flowing tracery, all with hood moulds and label stops. The gabled vestry is located to the left with a chamfered arched doorway, hood mould and label stops in the west wall. The north wall of the vestry has a single window with two arched and cusped lights under a flat arch with hood mould and label stops.

The north chancel contains two windows each with two arched lights under a flat arch. The continuous hood mould extends to the east chancel, as does the continuous sill band across the east chancel, east and south chancel aisle walls, broken only by the east chancel window. Four decorative heraldic plaques are positioned above the windows. A single central buttress topped with a damaged decorative finial supports this section, with a rainwater head inscribed "1900 B".

The east chancel has a single arched window with five arched and cusped lights, each cusp terminating in a single orb, further decorated with carved shields. Single panels containing decorative shields flank this window, with a single smaller similar panel above. To the left and slightly projecting is the chancel aisle, featuring diagonal buttresses terminating in crocketed pinnacles below the parapet. A single central canted bay contains a single arched window with three arched and cusped lights, each cusp terminating in a single orb, decorated with carved quatrefoils. Single similar lights occupy each side wall, all beneath a continuous hood mould. Above the central window is a carved lion flanked by single smaller carved figures of beasts. Above the lion in the parapet is a single panel with a decorative carved heraldic shield, with decorative carved heraldic shields in panels either side of the canted bay. The single central buttress is topped with heraldic carving and a rainwater head inscribed "1900 B". The south chancel aisle wall has two arched two-light windows treated similarly to those of the east wall, with a continuous hood mould over each and a single panel with a carved lion above each.

The south aisle wall has a single arched two-light window with flowing tracery, and to the left a single arched three-light window with cusped panel tracery, both with hood moulds and label stops. The south porch has a moulded arched entrance with hood mould and human head label stops. Over the entrance is a single niche with a cusped canopy containing a single carved figure. The inner moulded arched doorway has a hood mould and label stops.

The interior contains a three-bay nave arcade with piers and responds consisting of four colonnettes alternating with four engaged octagonal piers, all with moulded arches. The tower arch and the moulded aisle and chancel aisle arches have responds similar to the nave arcade. The chancel arch is similar, but its responds feature stiff-leaf capitals, a hood mould and human head label stops.

Between the chancel and chancel aisle is an extraordinary and elaborate Babington monument. Four piers with bases and shafts decorated with blind tracery, carved heads, figures and figures set into hexagonals support a large and elaborate arched canopy with single corner crocketed pinnacles further decorated with blind tracery. The canopy is decorated with angels holding shields, foliate ornament, babes and foliage, and blind and open tracery. The vaulted roof features blind tracery and pendant bosses. The east side is decorated with a representation of the Last Judgement. To the left, linking the monument to the east wall of the nave, is a depressed arch supported on moulded corbels with soffits decorated with foliate ornament. A cornice is surmounted by a large panel decorated with a coat of arms. Mounted on the west wall is a carved panel decorated with lions holding a shield with carvings of children and foliage, further decorated with fleur-de-lys and Tudor roses. Above is a single panel decorated with blind shields and blind tracery.

The north wall of the chancel features a tripartite sedilia consisting of moulded arches supported on two colonnettes with continuous hood mould and two human head label stops. To the left is a moulded arched doorway with hood mould. An alabaster reredos with blind tracery and an alabaster font are present.

The east windows of the chancel and chancel aisle are treated in a similar manner to their exteriors. The reveal of the chancel aisle window is further decorated with elaborate blind tracery. The chancel and chancel aisle roofs feature 16th-century moulded beams and carved bosses, further decorated with blind tracery and carved angels. The tower contains three 19th-century monuments.

A copper plaque in the chancel aisle reads: "The nave, aisle and tower of this church were erected and the chancel and chancel aisle restored A.D.1900 by Henry Lord Belper in memory of his son William Strutt born Feb.8th. 1875, died Oct.5th 1898".