30ml tube

St Leonard's Church, Glapthorn

Used originally as a Chapel of Ease to St Andrew's Collegiate Church in Cotterstock, St Leonard's was in 1923 united with St Mary the Virgin, Southwick. A further change was the inclusion of St Mary the Virgin, Benefield during the 1980s.
Links with Southwick were severed in 2000, this time Glapthorn and Benefield joined the Parish of Oundle with Ashton.

Much of the building dates back to the12th C, although the porch and south doorway were added in the 14th C.
There are also traces of medieval wall paintings, probably of St Christopher, patron saint of travellers.

During the reign of James I the alter rail and panels in the pulpit were installed. Other noteworthy items are a Victorian bier, 
used for funerals, and an original pew located at the back of the church, three bells and a fine organ.

Worship, the focal part of church life, takes place weekly, but this lovely old building also hosts concerts, flower festivals 
and is a venue for the local Primary School for key events in the Christian calendar.

The south porch dates back to the 14th century. There are north and south aisles in St Leonards with one capital being dated at 1160. Others are dated a little later. The pulpit has Jacobean panels (the Jacobean era was 1603 until 1625) and the communion alter rails date from the same period. These were originally installed to keep dogs or other animals from straying in to the sanctuary.
    Also catching the eye inside is a Victorian bier, a cart used for transporting coffins at a funeral. There is one similar at nearby Woodnewton.
Outside, on the south side of the tower, a solitaty gargoyle sits, mouth pulled open in typical medieval gesture. Whilts on the subject of the tower, St Leonards's has three bells, two of which are very ancient. One is by John Sleyt and dates from the 14th Century. The inscription on this reads....INNORE SATTI MARIA JOHANNES SLEYT ME FECIT. After a less than successful attempt to translate this using an online Latin - English translation all I will say is that I think this translates as Blameless St Mary. John Sleyt made me.The online translation didn't like the words SATTI or FECIT. I think Saint in Latin is SANCTUS. Any help would be appreciated! 
    Also in the tower, and a long way from home, is a bell dated 1480 by Kebyll of London. The other bell is is dated 1710 and was cast by prolific Leicester bellfounder Hugh Watts II

“If anybody would like to expand to this series please do, I would just ask that you could let Sadexploration know first at churchmicro@gmail.com so he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication.
There is also a Church Micro Stats & Information page found via the Bookmark list”