Information for record number MWA3594:
Church of St John the Baptist, Wolvey

Summary The Church of St John the Baptist was Medieval in origin. It was extensively repaired in the Imperial period, with various additions. The Church is situated 100m south of Wolvey Bridge.
What Is It?  
Type: Church, Cemetery
Period: Medieval - Industrial (1066 AD - 1913 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Wolvey
District: Rugby, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 43 87
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Listed Building (Grade: II*)
Sites & Monuments Record
Picture(s) attached

  
Description

  
Source Number  

1 Chancel, nave, N and S aisles, W tower and S porch. Apart from the S doorway nothing remains of the 12th century church. Rebuilt in the early 13th century and again in the 14th century, the tower being rebuilt or added in the 15th century. Considerably restored: the N wall of the nave rebuilt 1630, slightly N of its original line and re-using old material; the E gable rebuilt 1624; clearstorey rebuilt and nave re-roofed in the 19th century. In 1909 the present stone porch replaced a timber-framed one, and about the same time the chancel S wall, N and S windows and S door were rebuilt. In the N aisle an altar tomb to Thomas de Wolvey (d c1305) and Alice (Clinton) his wife, also a table tomb to Thomas Astley, d1603, and his wife. There was a church at Wolvey in 1086.
2 Plan of the church.
3 Drawing of the exterior, c. 1820.
4 Chancel is all Victorian, but above the E window the date 1624. Early 14th century font bowl.
6 Noted by Ordnance Survey.
7 Archaeological evaluation on the site of the proposed church hall, to the south of the church, revealed a considerable number of intercutting, undated grave cuts. At least one of these contained Medieval pottery dating to the 12th century or 13th century which may have come from an earlier feature(s) cut by the grave. No in situ burials were found above 0.9m below the existing ground level.
8 A further trial trench to the west of those in source
7 revealed the same sequence of deposits. The whole area had been disturbed by graves, with in situ skeletal remains occurring at a depth of c0.8-0.95m. As before, residual fragments of 12th century or 13th century pottery were found, along with a single fragment of Roman roof tile.
9 A watching brief carried out for the insertion of service associated with the church hall identified no archaeological finds or features, although disturbance was generally above the level of remains previously encountered.
 
Sources
Source No: 1
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Victoria County History, vol 6, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Salzman L F (ed)
Date: 1951
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: VI
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Victoria County History, vol 6, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Salzman L F (ed)
Date: 1951
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: VI
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: The Buildings of England: Warwickshire
Author/originator: Pevsner N and Wedgwood A
Date: 1966
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Warwicks
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Victoria County History, vol 6, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Salzman L F (ed)
Date: 1951
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: VI
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Descriptive Text
Title: LBL
Author/originator: DoE
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Evaluation Report
Title: Further Archaeological Evaluation at Church of St John the Baptist, Wolvey
Author/originator: Jones C
Date: 1998
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Evaluation Report
Title: Archaeological Evaluation at the Church of St John the Baptist, Wolvey
Author/originator: Coutts C & Jones C
Date: 1998
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 9
Source Type: Observation Report
Title: An Archaeological Watching Brief at the Church of St. John The Baptist, Wolvey
Author/originator: Jennifer Browning
Date: 2001
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Unpublished document
Title: Unpublished document
Author/originator: Ordnance Survey
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: SP28SW6
   
Images:  
St John the Baptist Church, Wolvey
Copyright: Warwickshire County Council
Date: 2000
Click here for larger image  
 
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
designation Listed Building Buildings and structures, such as bridges, that are of architectural or historical importance are placed on a statutory list. These buildings are protected by planning and conservation acts that ensure that their special features of interest are considered before any alterations are made to them.

Depending on how important the buildings are they are classed as Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II. Grade I buildings are those of exceptional interest. Grade II* are particularly important buildings of more than special interest. Those listed as Grade II are those buildings that are regarded of special interest.
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source LBL Listed Building List. Buildings and structures, such as bridges, that are of architectural or historical importance are placed on a list. Buildings placed on the list are protected through various planning and conservation acts which ensure that their special features of interest are considered before any alterations are made to them. The Listed Buildings List is compiled and maintained by English Heritage. It includes details of where the building is, when it was built, a description of its appearance, and any other special features. back
technique Trial Trench A small regular hole that is usually square or rectangular in shape. Archaeologists dig trial trenches to discover if there are any archaeological remains at a particular location. See also excavation. back
period Roman About 43 AD to 409 AD (the 1st century AD to the 5th century AD)

The Roman period comes after the Iron Age and before the Saxon period.

The Roman period in Britain began in 43 AD when a Roman commander called Aulus Plautius invaded the south coast, near Kent. There were a series of skirmishes with the native Britons, who were defeated. In the months that followed, more Roman troops arrived and slowly moved westwards and northwards.
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period Medieval 1066 AD to 1539 AD (the 11th century AD to the 16th century AD)

The medieval period comes after the Saxon period and before the post medieval period.

The Medieval period begins in 1066 AD.
This was the year that the Normans, led by William the Conqueror (1066 – 1087), invaded England and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in East Sussex.
The Medieval period includes the first half of the Tudor period (1485 – 1603 AD), when the Tudor family reigned in England and eventually in Scotland too.

The end of the Medieval period is marked by Henry VIII’s (1509 – 1547) order for the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the years running up to 1539 AD. The whole of this period is sometimes called the Middle Ages.
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period Imperial 1751 AD to 1914 AD (end of the 18th century AD to the beginning of the 20th century AD)

This period comes after the Post Medieval period and before the modern period and starts with beginning of the Industrial Revolution in 1750. It includes the second part of the Hannoverian period (1714 – 1836) and the Victorian period (1837 – 1901). The Imperial period ends with the start of the First World War in 1914.
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monument TABLE TOMB * A type of tomb in the form of a slab raised on freestanding legs. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument BUILDING * A structure with a roof to provide shelter from the weather for occupants or contents. Use specific type where known. back
monument STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument FEATURE * Areas of indeterminate function. back
monument CHURCH HALL * A hall associated with a church, used for holding functions, meetings and for conducting parish business. back
monument TOWER * A tall building, either round, square or polygonal in plan, used for a variety of purposes, including defence, as a landmark, for the hanging of bells, industrial functions, etc. Use more specific type where known. back
monument GRAVE * A place of burial. Use more specific type where known. back
monument ALTAR TOMB * A tomb or memorial, resembling an altar, often with a recumbent effigy on top. back
monument CHURCH * A building used for public Christian worship. Use more specific type where known. back
monument INDUSTRIAL * This is the top term for the class. See INDUSTRIAL Class List for narrow terms. back
monument BRIDGE * A structure of wood, stone, iron, brick or concrete, etc, with one or more intervals under it to span a river or other space. Use specific type where known. back
monument CEMETERY * An area of ground, set apart for the burial of the dead. back
monument FONT * A vessel, usually made of stone, which contains the consecrated water for baptism. Use a broader monument type if possible. back
monument BURIAL * An interment of human or animal remains. Use specific type where known. If component use with wider site type. Use FUNERARY SITE for optimum retrieval in searches. back
monument WALL * An enclosing structure composed of bricks, stones or similar materials, laid in courses. Use specific type where known. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record