Warkworth brings together the history of individual buildings and traces of an earlier settlement. St Mary preserves effigies and distinctive architecture; Warkworth also retains remains of a shrunken medieval village, earthworks and traces of house sites. The view therefore extends from details of a building to clues about earlier settlement in the village.
St Mary: Building Phases, Tower and Effigies
St Mary is the only surviving building in a complex of medieval and Jacobean buildings. The complex first formed Warkworth Castle and, from the 17th century, a large Jacobean house. The building’s history thus encompasses both a medieval and a later Jacobean phase.
The west tower of the Church of St Mary dates from the 14th century and has three storeys. Its features include a battlemented parapet, a corbel table and gargoyles. The Church of St Mary is a Grade II* listed building.
Stone effigies of a knight and a lady dating from the 14th century are set in niches in the north aisle. One knight’s effigy is dated to around 1350 and may represent Sir John de Lyons. The contrast between architectural features and figurative effigies offers two ways to explore St Mary: through the tower and through its medieval representations.
Village Traces and Building History
Clues to Warkworth’s history can also be found beyond individual buildings. Remains of a shrunken medieval village survive. Clear traces of house sites extend around the village and as far as the church; earthworks survive east of Manor Farm. Their locations differ: the house-site traces extend to the church, while the earthworks lie east of Manor Farm.
Warkworth Farmhouse provides another example of the village’s building history. The farmhouse was built in the 17th century and altered in the 20th century. It retains a 17th-century, nine-panelled plank door with strap hinges. Here, the original date, later alteration and surviving door detail can be distinguished chronologically: the house dates from the 17th century, the alteration followed in the 20th century, and the door also dates from the 17th century.
Compared with St Mary, the farmhouse offers a different focus. At the church, attention falls on features such as the tower and effigies; at the farmhouse, it is the individual door, described in terms of its construction and hinges. Those interested in architecture can therefore find both large-scale structural features and a specific detail on a farmhouse.
Walking Route and Seasonal Planning
The long-distance Jurassic Way passes through a minor road into Warkworth. Check current path conditions and signage before setting out, as both can change. St Mary is geared towards the summer season, from May to October. Check seasonal access before your trip if you are planning to visit the church.
Discover more destinations: Hackleton, Braunston, Brigstock, Weedon Bec, Long Buckby, Castle Ashby, Kettering, Greatworth.
Return to the main travel overview: Northamptonshire.
