Church Of St Mary

WESTON AND WEEDON HIGH STREET SP64NW (North side) Weedon Lois Church of St. Mary (Formerly listed as Church of St. Peter and St. Mary)

GV II*

Church. c.1100 herringbone masonry in west wall of nave and lower part of the tower; early C13 remains in the chancel; the rest is C14 with a north aisle and vestry of 1849. Limestone ashlar, coursed squared limestone and irionstone, lead roof and C20 old tile roof to porch with south aisle extended beside chancel to form a chapel. East and south windows of chancel are Victorian. Blocked early C13 lancet in north wall, similar window in south wall, now forming inner wall of south-east chapel. East window of south-east chapel, Decorated, 3-lights with Reticulated tracery. All windows in south aisle Decorated. 2-lights with flowing tracery and ogee hoods with carved finials. Priest's doorway with ogee-headed arch in second bay from right. South porch also Decorated, has entrance arch with continous mouldings. Inner doorway similar with C19 double plank doors. Decorated west window to nave with Victorian tracery. Lower stage of tower Norman. Upper stage Perpendicular with castellated parapet and bell openings of 2-cusped lights. Interior: Decorated recess below east window of chancel, restored and some carving reset in C19. Has ogee hood with crockets and finial, flanked by crocketed pinnacles. K.Lewis suggests that this was the shrine of St. Lucien. Tower arches, C14, except that to the north which is C19. All have half octagonal responds and double chamfered arches, and hood with head stops. South-east chapel has C14 double-chamfered arch opening to the chancel and similar arch with large head stops to the south aisle. Decorated piscina recess with crocketed ogee hood in chapel. Piscina in south aisle also Decorated, has recess with crocketed hood and large head stops. Two C14 tomb recesses with continous mouldings in south aisle. Roofs C19. Font, Romanesque, circular with leaf carving and beaded lunettes. Stone pulpit, 1849, copied from the octaganal Perpendicular pulpit at Bloxham church. Wall paintings in south aisle, medieval, fragmentory, said to represent two seated figures. There was a priory at Weedon linked with the abbey at St. Lucien in Normandy. The present parish church was the priory church. The monks are said to have brought with them relics of their patron saint and there was a well dedicated to St. Lucien (also known as St. Loys) south of the church. The priory was closed down in 1414. Buildings of England: Northamptonshire; K. Lewis, Weedon St Lois, Priory and Parish, Reprint 1978, Brackley.).

Listing NGR: SP6016046979