St Mary's Church - Fawsley - Northant's - This Old Church on Waymarking.com

Fawsley is a hamlet and civil parish in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire, England. The population at the 2001 census was 32.

Standing isolated on a grassy knoll and surrounded by a ha-ha, St. Mary's Church contains the Knightley family tombs including effigies of the 16th century Sir Richard Knightley and his wife Jane. Dating to the early 13th century, the church has many fine features such as carved poppy heads and stained glass thought to be from Sulgrave Manor.

Fawsley Hall and Landscape Park was created by the Knightley family. The Knightleys bought the manor of Fawsley in 1416 (and Badby after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539) and lived here for over 500 years.

The Domesday Book (1086) confirms the population of Fawsley as around 50, but the Knightley family of Fawsley Hall developed the sheep farming at the expense of their peasant tenants, who were all evicted by the turn of the 15th century. The hall and the church are all that remain of Fawsley.

The Elizabethan hall, now a hotel and restaurant, was commissioned by Sir Edmund Knightley and was visited by Elizabeth I in 1575. More rooms, a new north wing and a fine red brick stable block were added in the early 18th century and the south-west corner of the house was rebuilt in the 1870s.

The main glories of St Mary's are undoubtedly its magnificent monuments, and there are fifteen of these dating from 1516 to 1856. The oldest is the brass of Thomas Knightley dated 1516, which shows him with his heart engraved above his portrait and with heraldry above this.

The second oldest monument is the fine alabaster free-standing tomb to Sir Richard Knightley and his wife Jane Skenard, heiress to Old Aldington. Sir Richard lies bare-headed, wearing an emblazoned coat with the SS collar of the Lancastrians. Jane, wearing an ermine trimmed gown and embroidered head­ dress, has an angel at her head. Both have their hands clasped in prayer and are surrounded by the twelve graceful figures of their children - the weepers - at the sides of the tomb. There are four girls and eight boys, and the clothes,particularly of the latter, give an indication of their professions.


Three members of the Knightley family are commemorated in the massive monument on the north wall. This chronicles the virtues of the well-known family between 1566 and 1619. The memorial is aglow with colour - including fine gold - and was restored in 1930. There are two figures at prayer, supporting a great pediment, with cherubs sitting aloft. An inscription reads 'Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return'.

Five large architectural tablets in the chancel record the deaths of other members of the Knightley family in 1661, 1670, 1728, 1738 and 1741. The monumental tablet to Jane Grey Knightley has a small bust on top. Two very similar monuments of Devereaux (1681) and Elizabeth (1715) are in the north aisle. Both are set on tall pedestals, the latter is richly carved with majestic garlands and flowers. In the south aisle a very fine pre-Grecian monument without any figures, is a memorial to Lucy Knightley by Richard Westmacott, who trained in Rome under Canova.

GIBSON SCULPTURE
A monument of 1856 in the south aisle to Selina Knightley is the work of John Gibson of Rome , and shows Selina being received by an angel.

Two other interesting 'possessions' are the stone bible on the window ledge in the north wall, and the modem pulpit, with many carved emblems of the Passion.


Fawsley's most distinguished treasure is its magnificent collection of medieval stained glass. The oldest glass in the church is the tiny window in the vestry. This depicts Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and is said to date from the 13th century. It was restored in 1992 in memory of the Reverend Roy Dooley.

STAINED GLASS WINDOW of COATS OF ARMS :
Amongst the glass panels from Sulgrave manor, are 16th century panels depicting marital shields celebrating the marriages of members of the Washington Family.
The top panel second from left celebrates the marriage of Lawrence Washington and Amy Pargiter (1538).
The bottom left panel celebrates the marriage of Robert Washington, (son of Lawrence Washington), and Elizabeth Light (1565).
The top panel third from left celebrates the marriage of the second son also called Lawrence Washington to Martha Newce. Sulgrave Manor was the home of George Washington’s ancestors, and the central panel clearly shows the Washington coat of arms upon which the American flag, the ‘Stars and Stripes’, is based.
The same painting shows a number of hatchments belonging to the Knightley family, and those that survive were restored in 1999, and re-hung on the west wall. Each diamond shaped hatchment, shows a deceased person's armorial bearings. The hearse, taking the body to church, was preceded by the hatchment, which was then taken back to the house after the service, and hung outside during the period of mourning, the time determined by the status of the member of the family. After the mourning period the hatchment was hung on the wall of the church. The oldest hatchment is for Lucy Knightley, who died on 20 August 1738 and shows, amongst other things, three goats' heads and three cats. Lucy Knightley was married twice; his first wife was Jane Grey, and his second Anne Adams. The second hatchment, with the motto 'Envita fortuna', was for Sir Charles Knightley, who died on 30 August 1864 . He was married to Selina Mary, the daughter of Felton Lionel Hervey. An element of the Hervey coat of arms is incorporated, and a hand - the Badge of Ulster - can also be seen. The Royal Arms hung on the north wall are those of George I, and were painted in 1716. The panel was restored in 1999.

Regular services (all using the Book of Common Prayer) are held in the church on the first and third Sundays of each month in addition to the usual Holy Festival services. Where there is a fifth Sunday in the month, a United Benefice Service is held in each of the five parishes in turn. For Weddings there is a 3 year waiting list..

Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 01/01/1209 Age of Church building determined by?: Historical Society If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Church of England Street address of Church: Fawsley Park Fawsley, Northant's United KIngdom Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Not listed Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: Not Listed

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