STOKE DOYLE : CHURCH OF ST RUMBOLD
Church Post Code PE8 5TH
The church here, I believe, is normally closed to visitors.
Over the course of the previous 15 years; since I was first bitten by the churchcrawling bug, I have put in a few miles; covering large parts of Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Rutland and Northamptonshire and going as far north as Cockermouth. I have a great fondness for the areas that I have visited; .but in truth though, many of my fondest memories are on my doorstep in East Northamptonshire.
There are some exquisite villages here and a visit to Stoke Doyle will live long in the memory! David and I had attended an evening prayer service at Wadenhoe, a few miles away. The light quality whilst we were there was stunning, with the sun starting to set. After the service we headed off to Stoke Doyle and we were rewarded with some of the loveliest light quality that I have ever had the pleasure to shoot in.
We stood to the south west of the church, close to a stream which wound its way vaguely easterly. A sheep with lambs wandered alongside the bank of the stream. The setting sun highlighted the tower of St Rumbold, and also the spire of St Peter at Oundle, a couple of miles off to the north. The landscape was gently undulating, with a patchwork of green fields and stone walls, with the occasional yellow of oilseed rape; much to the annoyance of hay fever sufferers everywhere.
The sky was beautiful, full of minute changes as the sun continued to set. It was one of those evenings when you could stand there and take dozens od photos at 60 second intervals and they would all be different in some small way.
Stoke Doyle is a small picturesque village, two miles to the south west of Oundle. These days, the population is included with that of neighbouring Wadenhoe, but back in 1991, the population was a mere 64.
The church that we see today was built on the site of a previous church, this being erected between 1725 and 1727. The church that it replaced was larger and dated mainly to the 13th century. This previous church was in a poor state of repair and a petition to the bishop mentioned that it was in a ruinous condition and in danger of collapse.
The church was pulled down in the spring of 1725, with the first stone of the new building laid in May 1722. The church was completed by August 1725, but was not opened until March 1726.
The west wall of the present church is where the west wall of the previous church was, but to the south the present church is five feet narrower and the church is some 30 feet shorter from the east. In the church grounds, to the east of the present chancel, there is a recumbent effigy of a figure with hands raised in prayer. This appears to be in situ, and would have been inside the chancel of the previous structure.
The church consists of west tower, with nave and chancel running seamlessly in to each other, south doorway and north transept. The west tower is square and pinnacled, with an elaborate parapet running across the top. There is a one handed clock attached to the south face of the tower. One handed clocks are unusual, but not unique in this part of Northamptonshire, with another to be found a few miles away at Polebrook.
Just a very quick word about St Rumbold! He was the son of Kyneburgha, after whom the church at Castor is dedicated. She was the daughter of Penda the King of Mercia. Rumbold only lived for three days but on the second day of his life it is said that he preached a Christian sermon on Christian virtues and the Trinity, he died soon after.
Looking around the exterior, there is some very faded graffiti. It is very difficult to make out but one of the dates appears to read 1725. If that is true then this would have been etched in to the wall as the church was being built. Easier to read is John Rye, who made his mark here in 1816. If he had stood where we had been a few minutes earlier, back in that year after Waterloo, and looked towards the church, he wouldn’t have noticed much difference, with the exception of the telephone pylons obviously!
The church here used to be closed to visitors, but I have seen reports from churchcrawler who have since found it open. This was all pre covid so goodness only knows what the situation is as this page is being reworked between Christmas and New Year 2021. The interior photographs included here are from a previous visit, where David and I took in an evening prayer here.
Moving inside, and with the exception of the north transept, this is a single cell building, with nave flowing in to chancel with no chancel arch. I suspect that very little has been done to the interior of this church since it was opened, with the exception of the electricity being put in.
The three light east window is of clear glass, with the central light taller and with a semi circular arch. The glass is edged with an orange band of differing shades throughout. On either side of the taller central light are two angels in flight. The angels’ hands are slightly awkward and it looks as if they may have been carrying something, possibly a banner, at some point in time.
The reredos consists of boards containing the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments and the Creed. The altar is tasteful, with a cross, two candlesticks and some daffodils. This is in keeping with the rest of the church; simple, tasteful Georgian elegance!
A monument to one Frances Palmer, who passed away in 1628 stands on the north wall at the east end of the church, and would originally have come from the old church. I do wonder why the recumbent effigy of the figure at prayer was left outside and not brought inside like this one!
Frances is on her death bed, with her figure very much devoid of colour. Perhaps this symbolises her illness or perhaps I am reading too much in to things! Her husband kneels by her bed, hands at prayer. Two children, also at prayer face their father below and on the opposite side are four human skulls with a gap in the middle indicating that one might be missing. The memorial indicates that she had seven ‘sweet’ children and these would therefore refer to the children who pre deceased her.
Close by is another marble plaque with a devoted husband at his wife’s death bed. Perhaps this one was inspired by the earlier monument!
Moving in to the north transept we have a fine monument to Sir Edward Ward, knight and Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, who passed away in 1714. Sir Edward reclines, dressed in judge’s robes and wearing a fine flowing wig which has a centre parting! Although this monument is not signed it is suggested to have been carved by John Michael Rysbrack, one of the foremost sculptors of the day.
Sir Edward died 12 years before the new church was first used, and I have not been able to find out if this monument came from the old church or if it was carved at a later date and installed straight in to the new church; either way, I daresay that the north transept was built specifically for this monument.
This is a delightful church, in a glorious setting, photographed in great lighting conditions, in an area that I love. This is why I do what I do!
PILTON : CHURCH OF ST MARY & ALL ANGELS
Church Post Code PE8 5SN
Open by arrangement. Keyholders nearby
Of all the places within the catchment area of my sites, which look at churches in the villages which surround Peterborough; there is none finer than the view of the church of St Mary and All Saints at Pilton, Northants. To be fair, the church itself is unremarkable but the setting is idyllic with the 16th century manor house butting up to the church grounds and the field to the south of the church a delight during the lambing season.
Pilton is a hamlet which can be found to the south of Stoke Doyle. Small in size but rich in history with evidence of Roman settlement found here! Oundle is off to the north east and the deserted medieval village of Lyveden, with Lyveden New Bield, an unfinished Elizabethan summer house, can be found away to the far west of the parish.
Lyveden New Bield, was owned by the Tresham family, who lived in Pilton manor house alongside the church. The family were staunch Catholics, with the family having problems with the authorities in those turbulent times as a result. Francis Tresham was involved in the Gunpowder Plot, dying of natural causes in 1605 in the Tower of London before he could be tried. Pilton Bede house, to the south of the church contains a large chimney stack, in which there is an Elizabethan access point, allowing this to be used as a look out point, when the Tresham family were inside; engaged in illegal Catholic worship’ it being treasonous even to invite a Catholic priest in to your house in those days.
Exterior shots included here are from a visit in late April 2015, with plenty of lambs and the trees in full blossom. The interior shots used are from a revisit in May 2025, when the church was kindly opened by arrangement.
The church that we see today dates back to the late 12th century and consists of west tower with spire, nave with north and south aisles and clerestories, south porch, north vestry and chancel. The west tower dates from the late 13th century with the gabled south porch also dating from that century. The chancel was rebuilt in 1864 with the rest of the church restored in 1875.
Looking at the church from the south on this warm late April afternoon; with the continual background sound of lambs bleating and a Red Kite circling overhead; this really is an exquisite sight. The air was not great for hay fever sufferers though with several fields of yellow oilseed rape surrounding the village!
An octagonal broach spire rises up from the square west tower, which has two tiers of gabled lucarne windows. A corbel string across the top of the tower has a series of grotesque heads; one with bulbous nose with its neighbour having simply huge ears.
The roofs of the clerestory and aisle are each flat with the chancel having a steeply pitched tile roof. The clerestory itself is of two square headed two light windows with two gargoyles sandwiched in between.
Entry is through the south porch, with the coats of arms of the Tresham family flanking the doorway. A close look at the exterior from the south show the faded remains of three scratch dials; which would have acted as a sundial, alerting those looking on as to the time of the next Mass at the church. These are also known as Mass Dials.
There are four bells in the ring here, with the situation now being the same as when Thomas North’s Victorian look at the church bells in the county was published. The first of the ring was attributed to Newcombe of Leicester in 1570.
The second and third were each cast by Tobias Norris I who set up the Stamford bellfoundry. The second of the ring is inscribed ‘CVM VOCO AD ECCLESIAM VENITE’ which translates as ‘Come to church when I call’. The third reads ‘OMNIA FIANT AD GLORIAM DEI’ ‘Let all things be done for the glory of God’.
The fourth of the ring is of real age, being cast by a London founder around 1470. The Latin on this one reading ‘NOMEN MAGDALENE CAMPANA GERET MELODIE’ ‘This bell shall bear the melodious name of Magdalene’.
The visitor enters in through the south porch, being greeted by a fine inner doorway which dates from the late 12th century which has waterleaf capitals and zig zag designs on the arch.
Moving inside, it was bright and welcoming inside, on what was a glorious afternoon on this May 2025 revisit. There are four bay arcades to north and south, with octagonal piers and capitals, with one capital to the south decorated with nailhead design. There was a thorough restoration here in 1875, with fixtures and fittings all dating from that time.
The chancel was heavily restored; over restored to be fair with ledger slabs and memorials taken out, with nothing remaining of piscina and sedilia. The reredos is Victorian and runs the full width of the chancel. The altar is plain and simple with white altar cloth; the liturgical colour used from Easter until Pentecost.
The east end of the south aisle retains its history with a medieval piscina against the south wall indicating that there would have been an altar here with the Mass being given. There is no altar here now; a set of pews run from south to north along the east wall of the south aisle.
The east window is of great interest; being of four lights with each light containing a scene from the life of Jesus, roundels above each light contain angelic musicians. From left to right we see the nativity, Jesus raising up Jairus’ daughter from the dead, the crucifixion and the ascensions. Below this we have smaller panels on two levels, which detail the story of Adam and Eve.
On the lower level we see Adam and Eve before the fall; naked with some conveniently placed foliage and Eve’s hair protecting their modesty. We then see Adam receive the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge from Eve; with the serpent in the background and then the couple being expelled from the Garden of Eden.
The upper level shows Adam working the ground, the ‘painful toil’ which God had promised him. We also see Eve with two of their sons, Cain and Abel with the third panel showing Cain killing Abel. The fourth panel shows a city in flames which I assume to be Sodom and Gomorrah.
The window at the east end of the south aisle is of three lights and has very interesting stained glass in which the Old Testament story of Joseph is compared to that of Jesus. The glass shows Joseph being sold in to slavery by his brothers. The script from Genesis below tells of Joseph being sold for 20 pieces of silver. The New Testament script above tells of Jesus being sold by Judas Iscariot for 30 pieces of silver.
The centre panel continues the story of Joseph, with him being exalted by Pharaoh, with again the New Testament script above likening this to Jesus; it reading ‘Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name’. This is from Philippians Chapter 2 verse 9.
Finally we have Joseph as second in command in Egypt, behind only Pharaoh himself looking after his own brothers in a time of famine; the same brothers who had sold him in to slavery years before. The New Testament scrip here reads ‘This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you’.
Other glass here includes rural scenes and a two light window which shows Jesus surrounded by children alongside St Christopher carrying the infant Jesus across a river on his shoulder; angels at prayer in the tracery above.
The church grounds here are of interest with the manor house itself bordering the church grounds to the east. A group of three chest tombs have Grade II Listings in their own right. Two of these are for members of the Broughton family with William passing away in 1653 with Hannah three years earlier.
A close look at a couple of 18th century gravestones shows some interesting symbolism. A double gravestone, with the script long since weathered away, has two hourglasses; a reminder to the onlooker that Man is mortal and will die ‘Tempus Fugit’, time flies! Close by we see a very weathered heart, which has been pierced by an arrow. The heart is an obvious symbol of love and the arrow was sometimes used to symbolise a sudden death.
Times were hard, lives were often short and people died from illnesses which could often be successfully treated today. A slate gravestone to Elizabeth Langham, who died in 1821 aged 17 years, has an epitaph which reads as follows… ‘A Ling ring illness did me seize, Physicians they could give no ease, But when the Lord as he saw best, Took me to his blessed rest Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord’.
Over the years, this part of Northamptonshire has become a firm favourite of mine; with beautiful countryside, picturesque villages and some delightful churches. There is a real sense of history here; and a long distance view of the church and manor from the south that is to die for! If someone from abroad came up to me and said, please take me to a beautiful parish church in the area; I would take then to St Mary and All Saints at Pilton. The church here is generally closed to visitors out of service times but the keyholders were very helpful and kind and the church here is well worth taking a look at if you get the chance.