Church Of St Rumbald

Church of St Rumbald

A church built approximately 1722-25, constructed in limestone ashlar with a lead roof. The building follows a hall plan with a north transept and west tower.

The south elevation consists of five bays with a four-window range. The windows are arch-headed with moulded and eared architraves, moulded cills with raised panels below that link to the plain plinth. All windows contain leaded lights with radiating heads. An arch-headed doorway at the far left has two 19th-century plank doors with panelled head sections, surrounded by rusticated ashlar and flanked by Doric pilasters with an open segmental pediment above. Plain pilasters mark the corners of the elevation, with a moulded cornice and plain parapet above, the parapet featuring one recessed rectangular panel to each bay.

The east elevation has a three-light Venetian window with square Doric columns and pilasters. The arch-headed centre light features a pulvinated frieze and moulded cornice, with flanking lights on either side. A raised panel below the window echoes the south elevation, and corner pilasters and parapet treatment are similar.

The north elevation contains four bays with a three-window range. A north transept projects from the far left bay, with arch-headed windows matching those on the south elevation but with plain cills rather than moulded ones. Chamfered plinth, corner pilasters, moulded cornice and plain parapet treatment match the south elevation. The north transept itself is a one-bay projection with similar windows to both its north and west faces, though those on the north and west are blind. It has a chamfered plinth, plain corner pilasters, moulded cornice, and low ashlar parapet.

The west tower rises through three stages. A plain plinth supports plain corner pilasters and moulded cornices between each stage, with a raised band between the second and third stages. The west door has an arch-headed leaded fanlight with moulded architrave, preceded by a pair of panelled doors flanked by Doric pilasters and topped by a continuous moulded cornice. An oculus with leaded light appears in the west face of the second stage, while a blind oculus sits in the north face and a clock face with single-handed mechanism occupies the south face. The upper stage features single arch-headed bell-chamber openings to each face, with moulded architraves and cills and moulded capitals at the springing of each arch. Doric capitals crown the corner pilasters, above which runs a moulded cornice. An open balustrade with square bolection moulded balusters surmounts the tower, with square panelled plinths at the corners topped by obelisks.

Interior features include arch-headed doorcases with Doric pilasters, with the opening into the north transept secured by an iron gate. Windows internally have similar surrounds to those on the exterior. A plain coved ceiling runs throughout with moulded cornice.

Furnishings and fittings include an 18th-century font on a baluster stem, 18th-century communion rail with turned balusters, and an 18th-century fielded panelled pulpit. The 18th-century pews were cut down in the 19th century. An 18th-century reredos features reeded pilasters and panels inscribed with the Ten Commandments, flanked by the Lord's Prayer and the Creed. Panelled dado throughout the interior is fielded at the east and west ends. An early 19th-century organ has a Gothic case. A pair of sculptured angels above the east window was added around 1835-40.

Monuments include one to Mrs Frances Palmer, who died in 1628, positioned on the wall to the left of the altar, featuring flanking detached columns with a heraldic device above and showing her as a recumbent figure with her husband kneeling alongside. Sir Edward Ward, who died in 1714, has a monument in the north transept designed by J.M. Rysbrack, depicting a semi-reclining figure in white and grey marble with a reredos of Ionic columns and pediment. Katherine Hunt, who died in 1760, has a marble tablet to the right of the altar. Mrs Roberts, who died in 1819, is commemorated with a tablet to the left of the altar showing a reclining female figure with her husband kneeling alongside. The sanctuary floor contains various inscribed tablets from the 17th to 19th centuries, and various 19th-century wall tablets commemorate the Capron family and others.

The design of the church is attributed by Colvin to Thomas Eyre of Kettering.