Church Micro 5078...Marholm Traditional Geocache
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Church Micro 5078...Marholm
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The Church of St Mary, Marholm . The church here dates from the 12th century, with the tower, which is very low, dated at around 1180AD. The nave dates from the 13th century and the aisles were badly damaged by fire during the 16th century. Up until the 19th century, the nave arcading was blocked up by masonry. The nave was heavily restored in 1868. In the south aisle is a recumbant effigy of a man in armour, hands raised in prayer, with his feet resting on a dog which has a long flowing tail. This is thought to date from the 14th century and is suggested to be John De Wittlebury. This has been restored and now rests on a nineteenth century base. The chancel was restored in 1530 by Sir William Fitzwilliam, sherrif of Northamptonshire, from the nearby Milton Park estate. This was the family church although Milton Park is in Castor parish. It appears as if family members and inside staff were buried at Marholm, with outside staff being buried at Castor. The chancel is large and ornately decorated and was glorious with the sun shining in through the large south windows. There are several memorials to members of the Fitzwilliam family with the memorial to William Fitzwilliam, who died in 1534, being restored in 1674 after it had been damaged by Cromwellian soldiers during the English Civil War. Also on the north wall of the chancel is a large and ornate monument to Willian, 1st Earl Fitzwilliam, which features life sized effegies of William and his wife. This is considered to be one of the finest monuments in the region and was made in 1718 by James Fisher of Camberwell at a cost of £900 A monument to one Edmund Hunter, who died in 1646, pleads for his memorial to be left undamaged by soldiers, it reads 'to the courteous souldiers. Noe crucifixe you see, no frightful band of superstitions here. Pray let me stand'. Also on the south wall of the chancel is a memorial to another Willian Fitzwilliam. This one dates from 1599 and features recumbant effegies of William and his wife, who have been holding hands since 1599. A beautiful piece of work which is coloured. Sadly, I found it almost impossible to get a good photo of it due to its positioning in the chancel. Windows are for the most part clear but include some re-set fragments of medieval stained glass. Just a single bell hangs here, this being cast locally by Tobias Norris III of the Stamford bellfoundry in 1678. C12 and C13 church with C15 and C16 alterations and additions. Nave with Perpendicular clerestory windows and moulded ashlar parapet. C19 (externally) north and south aisles and C19 south porch. Large Perpendicular chancel rebuilt in 1534 by Sir William Fitzwilliam of Milton (Sherrif of Northamptonshire in 1524) with battlements, large angle buttresses and 4-light Perpendicular north and south windows and 5-light Perpendicular east window and 4 centred arch south doorway. Ashlar south wall of chancel, north and east walls rendered. Squat Norman west tower in 3 steps with clasping buttresses, battlements and pinnacles and with pyramidal Collyweston stone roof and slit lancet bell openings. The tower is ashlar and the remainder of church stone rubble. Interior: Round single stepped tower arch with crocketed capitals to the responds. C13 3 bay arcades with double chamfered arches and quatrefoil section piers and similar C13 dormer arch. Octagonal font probably C17 with rose and leaf spray on each face. Monuments: circa 1400 recumbent effigy of knight on largely C19 tomb chest. Monument to Sir William Fitzwilliam 1534 with tomb chest with canopy on colonnettes and ogee arches, and with brasses against the back wall. Sir William Fitzwilliam 1599, 2 recumbent effigies. Edward Hunter alias (Perry) 1646 with bust of boy over cartouche with flanking plinth and with obelisk behind and an inscription below. William First Earl Fitzwilliam 1719 and wife by James Fisher of Camberwell - standing figures, Corinthian columns and open segmental pediment. Veil Northants Vol II. “If anybody would like to expand to this series please do, I would just ask that you could let Sadexploration know first at churchmicro@gmail.com so he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication. There is also a Church Micro Stats & Information page found via the Bookmark list”
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