| Summary : All Saints Church is the only surviving remains of Lapley Priory, a Benedictine Alien cell. In 1061, Aelfgar granted land at Lapley to Reims Abbey. The house was granted to Tong College in 1414. Only the church survives of the cell. The church is Norman and 13th century, with a plan of nave, without aisles, slightly off axis, central tower and chancel. Churchyard cross, possibly including an old socket stone. |
More information : (SJ 87231293) All Saint's Church (NAT). (1)
Lapley. Alien cell of Benedictine Monks. Founded 1061; dissolved 1414. (2)
All Saints' church (Norman with later additions) is the only remains of Lapley Priory. The stump of the churchyard cross remains. (3)
Lapley. "There are ... some remains of the abbey in a farm-house (Lapley Manor: SJ 81 SE 3) on the north-east side of the church". (4)
Church still in use. Apart from this no trace of the priory
survives. (5)
The churchyard cross, at SJ 87241291, consists of a shaft and head, socket stone and a calvary of three steps. All, except possibly the socket stone, are quite modern. The latter is 0.8m square and 0.45m high with a 0.3m square socket. It seems possible that it is from an older cross.
To the north of the church are a series of ditches which may have been a moat demarcating the Precincts of the Priory (see SJ 81 SE 3). (6)
No change to previous information. Published 1:2500 survey correct. (7)
5/82 All Saints
19.3.62 Church.
GV I
Parish Church, on site of Benedictine Priory. C12, C13 and C15, red and white sandstone ashlar; brown tiled roofs (handmade over Chancel) with verge parapets. Nave, without aisles, slightly off axis, central tower and Chancel. Nave: C13 three bays with C13 style, restored, two light pointed windows to the South and square headed C15 two light windows to the North. Late C19 arched West door, pointed four light window over; arch to blocked door visible to South side and also blocked arch to possible Chapel. Tower: Mainly C15, of four stages with set back buttresses of three tiers to two stages flanking blocked transept arches; string course with gargoyles at angles below and over top stage, frieze of blind quatrefoil tracery under crenellated parapet with crocketed pinnacles. Late C19 two light mullioned windows to lower stages, moulded quatrefoil opening below three light, pointed, louvred bell chamber windows with panel tracery and labels. Chancel: C12, of three bays with pilaster buttresses, of two tiers at angles. Restored C12 window to South and blocked
C12 door to North; simple C13 Y tracery C13 window to South and five light pointed window to East end. Interior: Restored C12 round arch on simple imposts to East of Nave, with similarly restored pointed arch to Chancel. Early C19 Nave roof; braced, shouldered king post trusses and tension straps to ties; late C19 trussed rafter chancel roof. Remains of mediaeval tiled floor adjacent to sedilia. C13 trefoil headed piscina and arcaded pointed arched sedilia, both set on lower original floor level; font, C19, Dutch, octagonal with carved bas relief panels; pulpit, hexagonal with carved bas relief panels; Jacobean communion rail; timber Chancel screen, damaged by fire; Late C19 stained glass to South side.
Monuments: Two early C19 marble and slate plaques depicting sarcophagi to North wall of Chancel and incised floor tomb slab of 1500 to Chancel floor; C19 figure of Virgin on corbel to East of tower; small fragment of mediaeval painting on North wall of Nave in red, depicting scrolls; oil painting of Moses and Aaron with Exodus texts to South wall of Nave; large poor board to North. Furniture: Two large carved oak chests, possibly German, one dated 1793, but of late mediaeval design, both in Chancel. (8) |