The long, narrow parish of Old or Wold, (Weald, Wood) comprises a spur of land rising to the north from Pitsford Reservoir in the south, its western and eastern boundaries delineated by two small streams. The village is positioned in the centre of the parish, with the church on the south side, overlooking the lower lands and the reservoir.
Old was still a member of the royal manor of Faxton in 1086, and the founding of the church was probably a symbol of the new feudal domains following the break up of the estate. The "deserted" village of Faxton is on the northern parish boundary.
The church is built mainly of ironstone, and developed over the entire period of Gothic church architecture of medieval Britain.
| Style | Approximate Date |
| Early English | 13th century |
| Decorated | 1300 to 1380 |
| Perpendicular | 1380 to 1500 |
The earliest known church documents are dated 1235.
| The
oldest surviving part of the church is the south aisle, which dates
to the middle of the thirteenth century. The south aisle wall
evidences the Early English architecture of the thirteenth century,
with pointed arch windows (or Lancet windows), and buttresses
against the external walls to support the roof.
The door is double-layered, with vertical planking
to the exterior and horizontal planking to the interior. The iron
nails fastening these planks often exhibit ornamental heads. |
 |
The fifteenth century construction of
the north nave wall and tower evidence the Perpendicular architecture of
that period. The windows are still pointed, but the arches are flatter,
being centered around four rather than two axes. However, the influence of
fourteenth century decorated styles is still visible through the trefoil
in the window over the small chapel and the cinquefoil frames in the
windows in the north wall.
Gargoyles on the exterior walls remind
the congregation of human vices and sins, thoughts of which are to be left
outside the church. Inside, a quite different interpretation, the
“angel” corbels (protruding stonework which supports the timber roof)
and sundry decorative heads are fine examples of the period.
In the south aisle windows there are fragments of mediaeval stained glass
including a representation of a man with the devil on his back.
The ancient iron chest at the rear of the church was used for collecting
alms, and the storage of parish registers, accounts, wills and similar
official papers. Three different locks, requiring three different
key‑holders would have been required. The key-holders were the
incumbent and the two church wardens.
The sanctuary (ie area beyond the altar rail in the chancel) contains two
sedilia, which are seating for priests during worship, a piscina (a carved
basin for washing the communion vessels and having a drain hole through to
consecrated ground) and an Easter sepulchre (containing the body of
Alexander Ibbs). Other priests are buried under the chancel floor, but the
burial plaques have subsequently been removed to the bell tower wall.
The chancel windows are of an individual style, with richly decorated
frames. The small chapel at the east end of the south aisle has a piscina
and aumbry (niche for storage of the sacred vessels) embedded in the
southern wall.
A tall Perpendicular archway provides access to the bell tower, which in
earlier times hosted a minstrel gallery. Musicians such as fiddlers and
brass instrumentalists would provide accompaniment to hymn singing in the
eighteenth and nineteenth century. It was removed in 1874 and the panels
from the benches used to construct the present pulpit. The bell frame is
slightly unusual in containing five bells, rather than the more usual even
number. The constructor repeated the exercise in a few other local
churches. The oldest bell is dated 1629, has the stamp of Tobit Morris of
Stamford, and the inscription 'Misi de Coelis habeo nomen Gabrielis'-
(Sent from Heaven, my name is Gabriel).
The organ was built by a locally born constructor, Holdich, and installed
in 1853. It has one manual, and a full octave on the pedals. Originally at
the rear of the church, it was moved to its present location when the
chancel was reconstructed in 1874.
The font is variously referred to as 'mediaeval, of finely carved stone'
or Victorian cast concrete'. Informed comment is welcomed.
During the past few years a dedicated band of parishioners have gathered
each week to produce a large number of exquisite kneelers for the pews. A
number are memorials to family and friends and depict rural scenes,
Christian symbols or illustrations of special events.
Outside, the churchyard remains open to further burials. There are a
limited number of table top tomb stones, characteristic of important
persons within the village.
Acknowledgements