Church Micro 3585…Weldon Traditional Cache

St Mary the Virgin Church Weldon, Northamptonshire 

The Church which is still in very much use today was established by the Bassett family during the Norman period. It is constructed of Weldon stone and the first Rector was

Alan Costyn, and was instituted in 1218.

The entrance to the Church is by way of the 15th century porch which is south facing 

and includes some notable wall arcading.

Passing into the Nave you will notice the Font, again of the 15th century; the font is in rather an unusual position being attached to a pillar of the north aisle.

At the west end of the nave is a fine Norman Arch, on the left hand side of which, 

and looking down into the choir vestry under the tower, is carved a Stone head.

A window of 17th century Flemish stained glass, depicting the Adoration of the Magi,

is set in the west wall of the tower. The inscription below the window shows it to have been given by Lord Nelson to Sir William Hamilton. In 1897 it was presented to the Church by the Reverend William R. Finch-Hatton, who was then the Rector of Weldon, and in whose possession it had been for some years.

As you turn to look eastwards down the central aisle you will notice the carved oak Chancel Screen, set in a beautiful high and wide Pointed Arch, which once held the 

rood loft.

The Choir Stalls are plain but for the bench ends which are carved to represent vine leaves. One on the right has a bunch of grapes and wheat ears. You will find in the Chancel a number of Memorial Plaques and Tombstones mostly of the 17th and 18th centuries. Notable are those of Dr. Greaves, a scholar who lived in Weldon, and 

Thomas Mainwaring, the father-in-law of George Jeffrey's, the 17th century musician

and composer, who was also buried here in 1685.

The East window of the Sanctuary is of Victorian stained glass and depicts Christ's ascension. It was given by Dr. John Clark, a well loved and respected doctor in the village, and a surgeon in service at the Battle of Trafalgar.

Retracting your steps you will notice the 14th century Pillars of the Chancel and Nave with foliage and small heads carved on their capitals. On the right behind the pulpit can be seen the steps and doorway which once led to the Rood Loft.

In the north aisle the first window contains stained mediaeval glass dating from the 13th century. The top lights contain the arms of the Bassett family. These and the separate roundels below were fully restored and assembled here in 1977 when the west window was also cleaned and reset.

 

 

Bassett Panel John Mason Panel WW2 Panel

The Lady Chapel in the south aisle has fine Sedilia and Piscina. The east window, depicting the Adoration of the Shepherds, is a memorial to the Reverend W.R Finch-Hatton given by his wife and children. The work is by Kemp whose mark, the Wheatsheaf, is repeated many times in the design.

On the right, the first window contains panels from the Chapel of the Deenethorpe Airbase which were presented to the Church at the end of World War II to commemorate the missions flown by members of the USAAF 401st Bombardment Group from this local airfield and to perpetuate the memory of those airmen who did not return.

The next window featured St. Paul was placed out of respect and in memory of the Rector, the Honourable and Reverend Daniel Heanage Finch-Hatton by his parishioners 

in 1866. It is attractive to visitors because of its strong colouring.

On leaving the interior of the Church you will note with interest several outstanding features of the building outside. The late 17th century Tower is surmounted by a

Lantern and Cupola, which, in former times was lit by candles to guide the travellers in Rockingham Forest, when Weldon was a woodland village. The tower contains a peal of eight bells dating from 1710. These bells are still used today every Sunday for service to which we are always looking for new ringers.

You will find in the Churchyard, at the foot of the tower, is the gravestone of Dr. John Clark the surgeon and village doctor who lived in the Old Rectory, the Nelson Window has been placed in his memory. The oldest tombstone on which the date is legible is that to John Grumbold, who died in 1653, and his family. He was a master mason and no doubt he was associated with much of the 17th century stone buildings still to be seen in Weldon today.