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Absolutely enjoyed exploring this beautiful little church still having all the original features inside from the natural stone holy water font to the peddled air powered organs and A poor box carved from a single piece of oak stands inside the south door with the inscription ‘REMEMBER THE POORE 1684
The church is off grid with lighting coming from candles and paraffin lights.
SOME HISTORY
Built in a small hamlet village, The church dates back to the late 12th century where construction first began on the main tower.
The church comprises a nave and south porch, north and south aisles, chancel, and west tower. The earliest (12th century) fabric belongs to the lowest stage of the tower , the upper stage being Early English. The nave and aisles date from the 13th century with later additions including a 14th century clerestory; the chancel was virtually completely rebuilt in 1890.
Inside the aisle arcades on both sides are 13th century Early English work. Although the aisles date from this period, the windows are later, 15th century insertions in Perpendicular style. The clerestory is 14th century Decorated. In the late 18th century the chancel was in ruins and rebuilt on a smaller scale, and further rebuilt in the 19th century when it was extended again. Until the 18th century there was a chantry chapel at the east end of the south aisle, the blocked archway to which is still evident.
The interior also has a number of interesting fittings and features. Of particular interest are the remains of an Easter Sepulchre, probably 14th century work, reinstated in the north wall of the chancel when this was rebuilt in the 19th century. The main surviving panel depicts the soldiers sleeping at the tomb.
A tomb recess in the north wall of the north aisle with a tomb slab with foliate cross is believed to be that of Hugo of Normanton, rector of Fledborough 1287-1318. There is a plain octagonal font, thought also to be 14th century.
In the north aisle can be found two stone effigies of a knight and a lady. Both are 14th century and are thought to represent Sir John de Lisieux and Dame Clemence de Lisieux. He was probably responsible for the 14th century expansion of the church. The effigies would originally have been in the south aisle chantry chapel.
.The church is fortunate in possessing some fine examples of 14th century stained glass. Most noteworthy is the east window of the north aisle which contains two full panels depicting St John the Baptist and St Andrew, The Madonna and Child and an unidentified knight in armour, possibly the benefactor. The smaller lights contain heraldic devices. There are other fragments of similar age in the other north aisle windows. In the window of the north side of the chancel, further fragments have been gathered together which are thought to be even earlier.
In 1991 the church was declared redundant and passed into the hands of the Churches Conservation Trust where they and the villagers help with the upkeep and protection of this grade 1 listed church.
