Information for record number MWA3655:
Church of John the Baptist, The Crescent, Brinklow

Summary The Church of John the Baptist, Brinklow. The Church was originally built during the Medieval period and may have originated as a castle chapel. It is situated north east of the Recreation Ground, Brinklow.
What Is It?  
Type: Church, Chapel
Period: Medieval - Modern (1066 AD - 2050 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Brinklow
District: Rugby, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 43 79
(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
Description

  
Source Number  

1 Archaeological observation of groundworks within St. John The Baptist Church and churchyard revealed a considerable quantity of rubble in the floor make-up below the tower, including a possible foundation block for one of the walls.The rubble layer was overlain by the mortar bedding for the 19th century tiled floor. A residual sherd of Romano-British pottery, a fragment of medieval floor tile and fragments of 17th century clay pipe were recovered from the churchyard.
2 Church. Late C15 with C19 restorations. Sandstone ashlar with some coursed rubble. Tile roofs, with lead roofs to aisles. Chancel and aisled nave with west tower. Chancel of one bay. Three-light east window of intersecting tracery. 2 lancets to south, C19 plank door within pointed and chamfered Arch between. Single lancet to north. Nave of 5 bays. South aisle has 3 restored three-light Perpendicular windows within chamfered surrounds, and one to east and west. Also to west a small 2-light window. Part brick C19 vestry. North aisle has two C15 three-light windows with scallop ornament within chamfered surrounds to north, with one to west. Single cusped lancet to east. C15 timber porch with 4-centred Arch, the spandrel carved. 4-centred plank door within has carved mouchette spandrels to hood, and is within heavily moulded surrounds with cusped panelling. South aisle has coped parapet. North aisle is battlemented and has cusped panelled finials to corners. West tower of 4 stages, the first with C19 plank door to west within 4-centred Arch with moulded surround. 2 rows of C15 cusped panelling to either side. Restored 3-light Perpendicular window to second stage within chamfered Arch, and with hood mould. To north and south of third stage a restored 2-light Decorated window within chamfered Arch. 2-light bell-chamber openings with scallop tracery to north, south and west of fourth stage. tower is battlemented with pinnacles to corners. Stair turret to south rising to all 4 stages. The Church has a plinth, and angle buttresses, the clasped polygonal buttresses of the tower with nodding ogee niches to third stage. Gables are coped. Interior: chancel, restored C19, has hammerbeam and Arched brace roof supported on carved corbels. Nave arcade of 5 bays has double chamfered Arches supported on shafted piers with smaller shafts supporting C19 nave and C15 aisle roofs. Bases of piers are broached. Complete stone stair to former roodscreen to east of south arcade has chamfered openings. 4-centred vestry door to south aisle. West tower Arch is triple chamfered and rests upon round piers with polygonal capitals. Some C15 stained glass in east window of south aisle; and to north and east of north aisle. The remaining stained glass is C19. Pulpits, choirstalls and pews C19. Three Cl9 wall monuments, and one dated 1737 in south aisle with moulded sandstone surround and segmental pediment.
3 Dugdale mentions that the Church was valued at 6 marks in the ecclesiastical taxation assessment of 1291. He also includes a list of incumbent clerics starting with Hugo De Underwood in 1252.
4 Chatwin suggested that the Church may have originated as a castle chapel. The Church is located just outside the bailey, with the churchyard butting up against the bailey earthwork. Furthermore, the inconvenient position of the Church has resulted in the alter being nearly 10 feet higher than the floor of the west end and even the chancel cuts into the hill side. This all suggests that the present Church developed from a much smaller building.
 
Sources
Source No: 3
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: The Antiquities of Warwickshire
Author/originator: Dugdale, William
Date: 1730
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 1
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: LBL
Author/originator: DoE
Date: 1986
Page Number: 3
Volume/Sheet: Rugby
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Observation Report
Title: Archaeological Observation at St John's Church, Brinklow, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Coutts C
Date: 2004
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Report No 0421
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Serial
Title: TBAS vol 53
Author/originator: Chatwin P B
Date: 1928
Page Number: 209-10
Volume/Sheet: 53
   
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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
source TBAS Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society is a journal produced by the society annually. It contains articles about archaeological field work that has taken place in Birmingham and Warwickshire in previous years. Copies of the journal are kept by the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
technique Earthwork Earthworks can take the form of banks, ditches and mounds. They are usually created for a specific purpose. A bank, for example, might be the remains of a boundary between two or more fields. Some earthworks may be all that remains of a collapsed building, for example, the grassed-over remains of building foundations.

In the winter, when the sun is lower in the sky than during the other seasons, earthworks have larger shadows. From the air, archaeologists are able to see the patterns of the earthworks more easily. Earthworks can sometimes be confusing when viewed at ground level, but from above, the general plan is much clearer.

Archaeologists often carry out an aerial survey or an earthwork survey to help them understand the lumps and bumps they can see on the ground.
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period Modern The Modern Period, about 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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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 modern About 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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monument SHAFT * Use only if function unknown, otherwise use specific type. back
monument WALL MONUMENT * A substantial monument attached to a wall and often standing on the floor. back
monument LAYER * An archaeological unit of soil in a horizontal plane which may seal features or be cut through by other features. back
monument PULPIT * Use as an external architectural feature only. 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 ARCH * A structure over an opening usually formed of wedge-shaped blocks of brick or stone held together by mutual pressure and supported at the sides; they can also be formed from moulded concrete/ cast metal. A component; use for free-standing structure only. back
monument TURRET * A small tower or bartizan, which was often placed at the angles of a castle, to increase the flanking ability, some only serving as corner buttresses. Also used to describe the small rectangular towers situated between the milecastles along Hadrians Wall. back
monument FLOOR * A layer of stone, brick or boards, etc, on which people tread. Use broader site type where known. 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 CHURCH * A building used for public Christian worship. Use more specific type where known. back
monument CASTLE * A fortress and dwelling, usually medieval in origin, and often consisting of a keep, curtain wall and towers etc. back
monument VESTRY * A room or part of a church where the vestments, vessels and records are kept. back
monument PIER * A structure of iron or wood, open below, running out into the sea and used as a promenade and landing stage. back
monument CHURCHYARD * An area of ground belonging to a church, often used as a burial ground. back
monument CHAPEL * A freestanding building, or a room or recess serving as a place of Christian worship in a church or other building. Use more specific type where known. back
monument PINNACLE * A vertical, pointed structure usually resembling a pyramid or cone. Use for component of a larger building type where it is now used as a freestanding ornament. back
monument ROW * A row of buildings built during different periods, as opposed to a TERRACE. back
monument ROUND * A small, Iron Age/Romano-British enclosed settlement found in South West England. back
monument BAILEY * The courtyard of a castle, ie. the area enclosed by the rampart or curtain. Use with wider site type where known. back
monument RECREATION GROUND * A public ground with facilities for games and other activities. back
monument WALL * An enclosing structure composed of bricks, stones or similar materials, laid in courses. Use specific type where known. back
monument EARTHWORK * A bank or mound of earth used as a rampart or fortification. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record