PARISH CHURCH OF ST. MARY AND ST. JOHN

The Parish Church is in Church Street, Rothley and is a Grade II Listed Church. It achieved Listed Status in June 1966.

The Listing Record describes it as being built between the 13th and 15th century, restored and the chancel rebuilt in 1878. The 1878 restoration was by R Reynolds Rowe of Cambridge.
Granite rubble stone with stone dressings and part battlemented, part Swithland slate roof. Stone coped gables, some with cross finials. West tower, nave, aisles, chancel, north organ chamber and north porch. Perpendicular west tower of three stages with clasping buttresses becoming polygonal at second stage and angle at third stage.
West doorway with traceried spandrels. 3-light west window with stained glass of 1879. Clock face, quatrefoil and 1-light windows at second stage, four 2-light bell openings, quatrefoiled lozenged frieze and battlements. Tall nave arch with deeply hollowed mouldings on semi-circular responds. 4 1/2 bay north arcade of 13th century, with unchamfered arches of one step on circular piers. Four bay south arcade with double chamfered arches on octagonal piers.

Perpendicular clerestory with four 3-light windows on either side.
Restored 6 bay low-pitch tie beam roof, the tie beams original and with carved bosses. 14th century north aisle, the four windows renewed reticulated tracery, three filled with 19th century stained glass. North east window with intersected tracery opens into 19th century north organ chamber. North door and porch.
Double chamfered chancel arch on polygonal responds. Chancel has polygonal boarded roof and most of the windows filled with later 19th century stained glass. 14th century south aisle, the windows with renewed Curvilinear tracery and the south-east with stained glass of 1897.

Piscina with cusped niche. Small south door and larger south door.
Fine series of monuments. Tomb chest with incised lid to Bartholomew Kyngston, d. 1486, and his wife. On front are inscribed Kyngston's Will and coat of arms. Incised slab is Robert Vincent and two wives c.1530. Tomb chest with incised lid to Humfrey Babington, d. 1549, and his wife.
Hanging monument with many small figures to Thomas Babington, d. 1567, and his wife. Panel from 16th century monument with two mermaids holding coat of arms of Kyngston impaling Skeffington. Wall monument to Anne Babington, d. 1648, in alabaster with black and red marble, showing within oval niche the busts of both Anne and her husband Matthew Babington: attributed to Edward Marshall.

19th century wall monument, oak choir stalls and brass lectern. Round Norman font, with pattern of concentric lozenges, on 19th century short shafts.
Chancel screen, Perpendicular, with 1-light divisions, ogee arches decorated with foliage. Said dated 1520 in Kelly's 'Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and Derbyshire' 1881 where also tower dated 1425. White's 'Leicestershire and Rutland' 1877 and Pevsner.

For more information about the Parish Church and its history please click on the following site: