Church Of St Mary Magdalen

Church of St Mary Magdalen

Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen, Church Road

This is a parish church of exceptional architectural importance, graded I. The building combines elements from the 13th century through to the 19th century, reflecting successive phases of development and alteration.

The tower is the earliest major component. Its lower stages date to the 13th century and are built of carstone and ashlar, with an early 14th-century belfry stage above. The three-stage tower features angle buttresses, a single lancet window on each side to the ringing chamber, and 2-light belfry windows with reticulation units. The 2-light west window and parapet crenellations were rebuilt in the 19th century. Both aisle west windows are blocked.

The south porch is constructed of brick with ashlar dressings and diagonal buttresses, and comprises two storeys with a polygonal stair turret to the upper floor. The entrance consists of an arched opening below a square-headed parvise window flanked by 2-light side windows, all dating to the early 15th century. The south door is also early 15th-century work, featuring heavily wave and hollow-moulded jambs and arch within a square surround. The spandrels are decorated with diaper and shields of the Ingoldisthorpe family to the left and the Howards to the right.

The nave and aisles date predominantly to the early 15th century. They are built principally of brick with some rubblestone and topped with lead roofs. The aisle walls have flat stepped buttresses and angle buttresses to the east. Each bay contains a 3-light Perpendicular window dating from a building campaign around 1420-1435. These windows display 4-centred arches with hoods and cusped lights below an embattled transom, rising to cusped ogee arches with mouchette spandrels and another embattled transom; above this are arched panels. The west window of the north aisle is truncated to accommodate the north door. Five clerestory windows, also dating to this period, are 3-light windows with panel tracery under depressed arches. The nave parapet terminates to the east with polygonal rood stair turrets on the south and square rood stair turrets on the north, both surmounted by conical tops. A sanctus bellcote sits above the gable end, which features a 2-light east gable window.

The chancel dates to the Decorated period with 15th-century alterations. It is built of predominantly brick with some rubblestone and features flat buttresses that are diagonal to the east. The south side has three 3-light 4-centred panel-traceried windows, whilst one north window is blocked. The east window, restored, is 3-light with intersecting tracery.

Interior

The interior reveals the quality of the architectural design and craftsmanship. The five-bay arcade consists of octagonal piers with moulded polygonal bases and capitals supporting double chamfered arches with hoods resting on head stops. The tower arch is low and stilted, whilst the chancel arch and its responds follow the nave design. Clerestory windows light the nave above the apices of the arches.

The nave roof is of outstanding quality, comprising tie beams on arched braces with solid carved spandrels supported by grotesque corbels. Moulded queen posts rise to butt purlins, with both the queen posts and principals moulded. Secondary principals sit on projecting crenellated beams bearing carved figures on their lower face. The aisle roofs employ moulded butt purlins and principals. Arched rood stair doors are found on both sides of the nave at ground level and again at rood level. Inside, the aisle windows are casement with wave moulding.

The chancel roof is a 19th-century king-post structure. Beneath the east wall are stepped arched sedilia under a square hood, a trefoiled piscina, and an aumbry. The east wall itself displays early 17th-century painted dado panelling comprising a floriated arcade of eight bays with frieze and console brackets. Between the bays are reeded and fluted Doric columns with entasis.

A parclose screen of 15th-century date stands at the north-west aisle bay, featuring ogee bays and topped with Perpendicular poppyhead benches. The Royal arms of George III hang above the south door. The north aisle windows contain many stained glass figures of saints dating to around 1450.

A monument to Peter Bateson of 1729 is mounted on the north chancel wall, constructed of various coloured marbles surrounding an inscription tablet. Brackets support a lower rail, beneath which is an apron bearing a coat of arms.