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Description

SPILSBY CHURCH STREET TF 4066-4166 (north side) 7/51 Church of St.James 3.2.67 G.V. I Parish church. Founded 1348 as a college of priests by Lord Willoughby. Late C14, early C16, 1879 rebuilding by W. Basset Smith of chancel and addition of south aisle. Squared greenstone rubble, ashlar dressings, rockfaced limestone ashlar, lead roofs. Western tower at end of inner north aisle, nave, 2 north aisles, the inner one a former nave, south aisle, Willoughby chapel in former chancel, chancel, vestry. 3 stage early C16 tower in greenstone with facetted corner buttresses, tall plinth with quatrefoil frieze, chamfered string courses, embattled parapet with crocketed pinnacles. To the belfry stage, triple louvred lights, triangular hoods to each side. C19 west door with quatrefoil spandrels and square surround. Above a C16 4 light panel traceried window with pointed, moulded surround. C19 north aisle, pointed continuously moulded doorway with 3 panel traceried windows. To clerestory are 4 triple lights with trefoil heads and square labels. C19 chapel, with 2 three light windows with panel tracery. AT the east end a matching 4 light window, and C14 east window of the chancel of 5 lights with reticulated tracery. C19 vestry with 2 light east and south windows. On the south side are 4 triple and 3 two light windows all with reticulated tracery, probably C14 reused. In the clerestory 5 paired lights matching those to the north. At the west end a C14 continuously moulded and pointed doorway reset, a C19 light and a 4 light reticulated window. Interior. The original nave is now the inner north aisle, and the former chancel and sanctuary is now the Willoughby chapel. 4 bay C14 original nave arcades with octagonal piers and capitals, fleurons and double chamfered arches. Tall C16 tower arch, with octagonal imposts and hollow moulded capitals and continuously chamfered outer arch. At the east end a double chamfered arch, probably reset, with statue brackets. C16 old nave roof with moulded principals. C19 5 bay south arcade, and wide chancel arch. C19 arch braced roof to present nave. In the chancel a 2 bay arcade into the Willoughby chapel, octagonal piers, responds and capitals, double chamfered arches. On the south side a C19 pointed opening to organ chamber and vestry, and a C19 3 seated sedilia and adjacent piscina, all with cusped heads. Fittings all C19 including octagonal font with columnar base. C19 stained glass. Monuments in the Willoughby chapel are stone effigies of John, 2nd Baron Willoughby and his wife, Joan, d.1348. Male figure in armour with sword and shield, his legs crossed, feet resting on a lion. His wife wears a skirt and mantle, both have bedesmen supporters. The chest has quatrefoils in the panels, and paired angle pinnacles with crocketed canopies and figures of saints and angels. Alabaster tomb effigy of John, 3rd Baron of Willoughby, distinguished in battle of Poitiers in 1356, d.1372. In full armour with sword, feet on a lion, head on a jousting helm. Around the margin a frieze of monks holding rosaries. The chest is decorated with shields in octofoils. Alabaster effigies of Robert, the 4th Baron and his wife, d.1396. The male figure is in full armour with sword, his feet on a lion, his head on a crowned jousting helm. His wife wears an elaborate dress, her head on a pillow with supporters. The chest has blank shields and quatrefoils. A solitary brass figure is of Robert's second wife Margaret Zouche, d.1391, feet on a dog, and surrounded by shields. A pair of brass figures shows William the 5th Baron and his wife Lucy, d.1410. He is in plate armour with dagger and sword, feet on a lion, she has an elaborate dress. Canopies over and the matrix indicates an extensively decorated surround. Large sideboard tomb to Richard Bertie and Catherine his wife, former Duchess of Suffolk, d.1580 and 1582. In front is a chest bearing armorial escutcheons, an inscription recording the deceased dated 1582, all with pilasters, plinth and moulded cornice. Behind a pair of niches containing busts of the deceased, with composite pillars, and an all over pattern of geometric shapes. The cornice is supported by 3 figures of a monk and 2 wildmen, each holding aloft a shield of arms. In the frieze are flowers, fruit and escutcheons. The back of this monument forms the screen and reredos. Finally on the north wall a tall sideboard tomb to Peregrine Willoughby, d.1600, erected 1612, in alabaster, reclining figure of Lady Katherine, daughter of Peregrine, with a baby in the crib. Above a standing figure of Peregrine in a niche, with strapwork embellishments, all supported on composite columns with a dentillated cornice. In the nave at the west end a white marble tablet to Capt. Sir John Franklin, Arctic navigator and explorer, born at Splisby 1786, died 1847 at sea, and also 2 others of his brothers. Major James Franklin, maker of the first survey of India, d.1834, and to Sir Willingham Franklin, d.1866, judge at Madras. Listing NGR: TF4002666089

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