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Churches of the British Isles

Gallery: Churches of Warwickshire

by Peter Kessler, 18 April 2010

South Warwickshire Part 43: Churches of Chadshunt & Kineton

All Saints

All Saints, Chadshunt, sits on the western side of Watery Lane, on the north-eastern edge of this scattering of houses and farm buildings in the midst of a huge expanse of fieldland. The church consists of a chancel, nave, north transept, and a west tower. The oldest part of it, the nave, dates to the mid-twelfth century and even now retains its north and south doorways which were located centrally in the original nave.

All Saints

At this time, the advowsons of the churches of Chadshunt and Bishop's Itchington were attached as prebendal benefices to the precentorship of Lichfield Cathedral. Towards the end of the thirteenth century Chadshunt became a chapelry of Bishop's Itchington. The nave seems to have been extended about three metres westwards in the fourteenth century. The clerestory of the nave and a new roof were added in the fifteenth century.

All Saints

The west tower was a seventeenth century addition or rebuild, and the chancel and north transept were built about 1730. An inscription plate records repairs carried out in 1866, when new roofs were placed over the nave and tower, but as the original timbers still survive, this must refer only to the lead covering and perhaps the rafters. Further restoration work was undertaken in 1906, but the church, which is surrounded by trees, is no longer used for regular services.

St Peter

St Peter, Kineton, is on the north-western corner of Warwick Road where this meets Southam Street. The church consists of a chancel with a north organ chamber and vestry, nave with north and south transepts and a north aisle, plus a west tower, all constructed in dark brown Hornton stone. The church was granted to Kenilworth Priory by Henry I. After the Dissolution the advowson was retained by the Crown until about 1624, when it was gained by Edward Bentley.

St Peter

From 1650 the rectory and advowson descended with the Bentley manor of Little Kineton, arriving with the bishop of Coventry today. The church's west tower is said to date from 1315, but its west doorway is probably earlier and its windows later. The tower itself was put up in four stages. The church was partly rebuilt by Sanderson Miller of Radway in 1775, when the transepts and aisle were added. It was again extensively renovated between 1877-1889.

St Peter

The organ chamber and vestry were added in 1897. The chancel screen is of Italian Renaissance design and was set up in 1905 in memory of the 18th Lord Willoughby de Broke, who died on 19 December 1902. The tower contains a ring of six bells, all dating between 1703-1717 and all by Abel Rudhall. The font and pulpit are modern, while the communion table dates to the mid to late seventeenth century. A framed painted Royal Arms in the aisle is dated 1724.

All photos on this page kindly contributed by Aidan McRae Thomson.

 

 

     
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