Church Of St Mary The Virgin

Church of Saint Mary the Virgin

A Grade I listed church at Lapworth, predominantly of 12th to 15th-century date, comprising a 12th-century nave with early 13th-century north aisle and chancel, a late 13th-century south aisle (rebuilt around 1460), a late 14th-century north tower with spire, a north chantry chapel of around 1250 (partly rebuilt in the 15th century), and a west chantry chapel of around 1450. A nave clerestory was added around 1460.

The building is constructed of random coursed squared stone with a plain-tile roof to the chancel and a copper sheet roof to the west chantry chapel. The main elevations comprise a 2-bay chancel, a 4-bay aisled nave, flanking chantry chapels, and a north tower.

The south aisle features a 19th-century porch set left of centre, built with a stone plinth and timber-framing. It contains a 2-centred arched doorway with hood mould, fitted with a 19th-century plank door with decorative iron hinges. The aisle is lit by 2-light Perpendicular tracery windows to left, right of centre, and to the right, each with decorative carved hood moulds and end stops. A 3-light Perpendicular tracery window with similar detailing lights the east end, while a Y-tracery window lights the west end. The south aisle is topped with a battlemented parapet and finials. Clerestory windows comprise 3-light stone mullion windows with cusped lights, hood moulds, and carved end stops.

The chancel displays a blocked 2-centre arched doorway at its centre, flanked by 19th-century 3-light early English tracery windows. A 3-light intersecting-tracery window lights the east end.

The north side of the chancel features a lancet with trefoil head. The north chantry chapel is lit by a Y-tracery window. A blocked 4-centre arched doorway sits right of centre in the north aisle, finished with cusped spandrels and hood mould. Above this and to the left of centre are 2-light Perpendicular tracery windows. The north aisle is battlemented with finials and clerestory windows matching those of the south aisle. The west end of the north aisle contains a 3-light Perpendicular tracery window. A 5-light Perpendicular tracery window above the west chantry chapel lights the west end of the nave, complemented by a lancet to the left.

The west chantry chapel is accessed via two plank doors set within 4-centred arched doorways that open into a passageway retaining remains of stone vaulting. The chapel is lit by 3-light stone mullion windows with cusped lights on its north and south sides, and a 3-light Perpendicular tracery window to the west. Roof finials crown the chapel, which is topped with a battlemented parapet with stone finials.

The north tower rises in three stages beneath a recessed octagonal spire. The first stage features stone mullion and transom windows with reticulated heads on all sides. Lancets light the east and west sides of the second stage. The third stage contains 2-light reticulated tracery louvred openings on each side, topped by a battlemented parapet.

Interior

The chancel displays a 19th-century two-bay panelled roof and contains 19th-century work including a reredos, sedilia, altar rail, and choir stalls. A 19th-century chancel screen spans the 2-centre chancel arch. The north chantry chapel features a Romanesque round arch on half-columns, a 2-bay 20th-century arch-braced collar truss roof, and a segmental pointed arch to the altar recess. Reset medieval image brackets flank the altar arch, and fragments of medieval wall painting survive. A memorial panel by Eric Gill is mounted within.

The nave is spanned by a 4-bay Perpendicular roof with moulded ribs, purlins, and rafters supported on carved stone corbels. Clerestory windows feature internal hood moulds with carved end stops. The nave is divided by arcades: the north arcade comprises four 2-centre arches on round piers, while the south arcade has four 2-centre arches supported alternately on octagonal and round piers. An octagonal medieval stone font, set on an octagonal stepped base with an octagonal basin on carved corbels, stands in the nave. The west chantry chapel is reached by 20th-century wooden stairs and contains a 19th-century roof. A water stoop is positioned to the left of the archway from the church.

The north chantry chapel was partly rebuilt in the 15th century by the Catesby family.