Another very early church with a Norman tower incorporating a late Saxon door case and internally a Norman font. The main body of the church though dates from the 13th / 14th centuries. In the chancel you will discover six well carved misericords which also date from the next century which originated from St James Abbey in Northampton which was suppressed at the Reformation.
The scenes include The Fight between a Dragon and a Lion and The Devil Tutvillus eavesdropping. Wonderful lively scenes evoking late medieval England. In the north chapel you will encounter more medieval works of art including a stone coffin lid beautifully carved with tendrils and two tombs.
The earliest is to Sir Philip de Gayton who made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella in the 15th century and to his wife or daughter, Scholastica, a rare stone effigy of a woman. Opposite this is the very unusual 16th century tomb to Francis Tanfield (d.1555). It takes the form of an incised alabaster slab containing not only the deceased but also a run of his children and his dog. It’s attributed to the workshop of the Royley family at Burton on Trent.
Elsewhere in the church are a clutch of 18th century memorials and early 19th century stained glass.
Please refer to the Glossary for any terms in the text that you are unfamiliar with.
