If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Early Medieval to Modern - 1301 AD to 2050 AD)

Summary

C14th church, ruinous by the C17th. Dean Noel saved the church from destruction in 1760 but it remained a ruin. In 1868 the chancel was re-roofed, though the nave was not restored and remains open to the sky.

Additional Information

Listed building description:
Parish church. C14, C16, chancel rebuilt 1868. Random granite rubble and dressed stone with stone dressings and slate roof. West tower, ruined roofless nave, and chancel, now used as nave. West tower, 2 stages, has plinth, 2 chamfered string courses, coved eaves band and crenellated parapet. To west, 2 diagonal buttresses, 4 setoffs, and between them a chamfered and moulded doorway with hood mould, C18 plank door and strap hinges. Above, on each side, a C16 chamfered pointed bell opening. Nave, 2 bays, has on each side the remains of 2 buttresses and 2 early C14 double lancets with coved and chamfered reveals and hood moulds. At the west end, on each side, a 2 light mullioned window, that to north with a flat head and hood mould, that to south with a 4 centred arched head. 3 bay chancel has on each side 3 buttresses and at east end, 2 pairs of angle buttresses all with setoffs. Coped east gable with cross. North side has a central restored Decorated double lancet with moulded reveal and to west, a roll moulded C19 doorway with shafts and hood mould. East end has a C19 5 light ogee lancet with flowing tracery and hood mould. South side has 2 restored Decorated double lancets. Tower chamber, now the west porch, has no architectural features. Tower arch, double chamfered and moulded, has no responds. Rendered chancel interior has rusticated openings and arch braced queen post roof. East end has a C19 alabaster and stone gradine. South side has to east a restored C14 ogee headed combined piscina and aumbry and a restored C14 ogee headed triple sedilia. Fittings include early C13 lobed round font bowl on C19 stem with clustered ringed shafts. C19 pine benches and brass lectern. Mid C20 rending desk and altar rails. Small slate war memorial tablet.

In July 1865 a 'curious old iron chain' was found on the south side of Elmesthorpe church, 2 foot deep. (PL 07/08/85)

Surveys in the Record Office show that the church was in bad repair in 1633 and 1639 and the bells had gone (at least one stolen). (PL 02/08/85)

In 1985 the nave was re-roofed. (PL 06/08/85)

<1> Nichols J, The History and Antiquities of Leicestershire, Vol 4 pt2 (1811), p606 (Bibliographic reference). SLE7.

"The church dedicated to St Mary, appears to have been built with a hard stone, common in the neighbourhood; and was supported by abutments of free-stone.
"It consists of a small tower, with a nave and chancel (both unroofed) of the same width.
"The inside is 66 feet in length, and 26 broad; the whole length, including the tower, 80 feet; the height of the tower 36 feet, which is entire, being very little demolished by the corroding hand of Time; the now remaining church-walls about 21 feet high.
"About 1730 there was a monument, with recumbent figures, at the South-east corner of the chancel.
"In the nave was a free-stone grave, with a loose free-stone cover, overgrown with nettles.
"About the year 1754 half the lead was on the roof, but since has fallen into the middle of the church, and part stolen; the remainder has been sold.
"In 1760, when Dr Noel was inducted, the roof was remaining, but fell soon afterwards. The inside of the church has since been occasionally made a garden, and used as a penn for cattle.
"The North wall on the outside is almost covered with ivy; on the top of the walls are growing some slender elm and ash-trees; and the inside is overgrown in part with elder-trees and ivy.
"The walls are built alternately with forest-stones, pebbles, and slates, which look very antique, but have been much damaged by pulling down part of the abutments, which are of free-stone; and the whole would some years ago have been taken down, for the purpose of repairing the highways, but for the interference of Dean Noel.
"On the North side of the altar a pedestal remains, supported by a remarkable figure.
"In the South wall of the chancel are three stone seats, and near them a small niche for the cruets.
"From tradition we learn that there were only two bells; and that service was performed here about 1710 once a month.
"In the chancel window, and in one of the windows on the South side, the arch is entirely broken away. The belfry-door hangs entire; as did a few years ago the church-door, which was on the North side."

<2> 1864-1869, Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 3, Vol 3 (1874), p283-4 (Journal). SLE5948.

During rebuilding a skeleton and a floor tile with the arms of Charnell were found.

<3> Pevsner N, 1984, The Buildings of England Leicestershire and Rutland, p150 (Bibliographic reference). SLE4.

"In use only the chancel (with PISCINA and triple SEDILIA) and the E part of the nave of the former church, rebuilt in 1868. The two-bay nave, apparently of the early C14, in ruins and open to the sky, serves as an atrium, with the W tower as its archway. - FONT. Small, circular, with four roll mouldings in the four main directions up to the rim. Probably C12/13."

<4> Finn, Neil, 2018, An archaeological trial pit evaluation: Church of St Mary the Virgin, Station Road, Elmesthorpe, Leicestershire (Unpublished document). SLE5746.

Test pits were dug in/north of the open nave in 2018. They recorded foundations of the north wall of the nave, an east/west wall foundation 1.8m south of the nave wall and a large pit with evidence for in situ burning (perhaps a bell casting pit). No earlier floor surfaces remained under the modern floor. Finds included medieval pottery, C14th roof tile, a piece of red stained window glass and lead window came. There was also some disarticulated human bone.

Sources

Associated Finds

• CHAIN (Unknown date)
• HUMAN REMAINS (Unknown date)
• CAME (Medieval - 1067 AD to 1539 AD)
• FLOOR TILE (Medieval - 1067 AD to 1539 AD)
• SHERD (Medieval - 1067 AD to 1539 AD)
• STAINED GLASS (WINDOW) (Medieval - 1067 AD to 1539 AD)
• FONT (Early Medieval - 1101 AD to 1300 AD)
• ROOF TILE (Early Medieval to Late Medieval - 1301 AD to 1400 AD)

Designations

• Listed Building (II) 1074693: CHURCH OF ST. MARY
• Scheduled Monument 1005076: ELMESTHORPE CHURCH, RUINED NAVE AND WEST TOWER

Associated Images

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.