The tower of the Church of St Peter and St Paul dates from the late 12th century; the nave and chancel were rebuilt later. Weedon Bec’s historic character also includes a canal open to leisure boats and narrowboats, as well as a 19th-century railway viaduct. These periods and architectural styles provide a specific focus for travellers who want to take ecclesiastical and engineering history into account when choosing a destination.

Church architecture: different periods and details

The Church of St Peter and St Paul brings together several building phases: its tower dates from the late 12th century, the nave was rebuilt in 1825 and the chancel in 1863. This makes it possible to distinguish the dates of the tower, nave and chancel, rather than assigning the church as a whole to a single period.

Another detail is a miniature replica of Winchester Cathedral’s baptismal font, from the chapel of the Ordnance Depot, which is located in the church. Alongside the building’s history, this brings a single object with its own provenance into view. The replica offers a different point of interest from the dated parts of the building: the focus here is a specific furnishing rather than the construction date of the tower, nave or chancel.

Weedon United Reformed Church is a nonconformist chapel dating from 1792. Its date falls after the construction of the tower of St Peter and St Paul, but before the nave was rebuilt in 1825 and the chancel in 1863. Anyone arranging the local history by period can thus compare four points in time: the late 12th century, 1792, 1825 and 1863.

Canal and railway

The canal near Weedon Bec remains open to leisure boats and narrowboats and forms part of the national waterway network. Weedon Wharf lies southeast of Lower Weedon. If you are planning a specific boat trip on the canal, check current navigation conditions beforehand.

The canal towpath and the railway tunnels have provided continuous access to Lower Weedon since they were developed in the 19th century. For planning a route today, check local conditions. This helps distinguish the historical development of access from the practical conditions of a visit.

The Railway Viaduct Over Church Street in Weedon Bec dates from the mid-19th century and has five shallow segmental brick arches. A segmental arch is flatter than a semicircular arch; the description therefore specifies both the number and the shape of the arches. This particular construction adds an architectural feature to the historical context.

The depot’s history and a planned Visitor Centre

The depot’s military branch canal passed beneath a portcullis through a building called East Lodge. The building is part of the perimeter wall and still stands; there is a similar lodge at the western end. These details link the route of the branch canal with the passageway and the wall, rather than treating the depot’s history only as a general subject.

The Visitor Centre at The Depot was planned to focus on the military history of The Depot. The proposed concept included an exhibition of historical war artefacts, audio interviews and recordings of local residents, as well as a programme of regular talks and events. If you would like to include this offering in your plans, check the current programme in advance.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Crick, Brigstock, Helmdon, Whittlebury, Quinton, Castle Ashby, Greatworth, Brackley.

For the overview of the wider area: Northamptonshire.