St. Mary the Virgin was probably first built in the 12th century. The chancel was rebuilt in the early 13th century, and the east window is of that date. The nave is early 14th century, the north and south aisle, and clerestory were added in 15th century. The tower was added in the 17th century as a replacement for a spire that was in need of repair.

The whole church was restored by G. F. Bodley in 1894.

The stained glass in the east window is set into an early C13 triple lancet window. The North west aisle window was designed by Kempe.

Tags: bodley, kempe, nicholas, stained glass, tower

The south Leicestershire parish church of St. Nicholas in South Kilworth. Is late 12th early 13th century. The tower with its effigy of St. Nicholas is 14th century, and the broached spire was added in the 15th century. The clock was installed in 1921 and is a memorial to those that died in the first world war.

Built in the late Norman period the church has been restored a number of times, and largely rebuilt in 1868-69, under the instructions of Rev. Assheton Pownall by G.F. Bodley. George Bodley was known as the chief exponent of 14th century English Gothic, and the leading ecclesiastical architect in England. He is regarded as the leader of the resurgence of interest in English and northern European late-medieval design.

The east window in the south aisle contains the Pownall motto “OFFICIUM PRAESTO”.

The chancel window left main panel depicts St. Mary the Virgin with the subscription “St. Mary” below which is shown the Annunciation. The centre main panel displays the Crucifixion subscribed “It is Finished” beneath which is the Nativity with the Holy Family in Bethlehem. The right main panel is inscribed “St. John” and illustrates St. John the Baptist; beneath is the Resurrection. The inscription at the window’s base reads “To the glory of God in memory of the Revd. Assheton Pownell M.A. Rector of this Parish and Archdeacon of Leicester. This Window was placed by his parishioners and friends June 1887”.

West window of nave. From top to bottom, the left panel contains a small medallion enclosing a cherub with blue wings above a seated Resurrection angel with red wings, beneath which is the Virgin Mary robed in blue and standing at the foot of a coffin. At the top of the central panel, facing forwards stands the resurrected Christ. Beneath him lies the central part of the coffin with Mary Magdalene kneeling, dressed in red. The right panel contains another cherub in a medallion, this time in brown with red wings, above a second seated resurrection angel with blue wings. Below at the head of the coffin stands St. John.

The window was commisioned by Catherine Countess Beauchamp from Messrs Hardman & Co of Birmingham. The actual artist is unknown.

The carved pulpit was installed as a first world war memorial. The font is Norman from the late 12th early 13th century thought to have been constructed from the capital of a Norman column.

The remnant of an altar tomb and the effigy are of a 15th century rector Richard Wythnale who died 1439. The reredos panel contains a rare iconic "Lily Crucifixion", of which there are only two other stone sculptures in the UK.

Details of church history supplied by Sam Lloyd.

Tags: effigy, font, G.F. Bodley, hardman, nicholas, spire, stained glass

The lower part of the tower is the earliest remains of the 13th century parish church of St. Nicholas, Frankton. The rest of the church was rebuilt in the 14th century of limestone rubble with red sandstone dressings. The upper part of the tower is 15th century faced with red sandstone ashlar. The vestry on the north side is modern.

Tags: nicholas, tower

Built from the local ironstone the present 14th century parish church of St. Nicholas was rebuilt from an earlier Norman church.

This church is full of treasures. Starting with the South walll of the south aisle there is a C14 piscina, an effigy of a C14 priest on a low tomb chest, and a 1640 wall memorial.

The south aisle windows contain remnant of medieval stained glass dating back to 1330.

The west wall of the south aisle is taken up by a large marble monument by Mary Thorneycroft in memory of Sarah Baroness Braye (d1862), a memorial window to her, by Hardman & Co., can be found in the South Kilworth church of St. Nicholas.

The window in the bell tower contains fragments of medieval glass. The font is C14 with a carved tracery pattern.

The north aisle like the south aisle has a number of monuments. On the west wall is a large marble monument by Richard Westmacott Jr to Robert Otway Cave (d1844) and Sophia Otway Cave (d1849). The north wall has a monument of a lancer by Felix Joubert (1896) dedicated to Edmund Verney (d1879).

Next to the stataue of a lancer is a late Elizanbethan alabaster tomb in memorial to Henry Knollys and his wife Margaret Cave (c1600).

The east window of the north aisle contains glass dated to about 1330-1340 with depictions of the Resurection, Angels, Crucifixion, Virgin, and St John.

Between the north aisle and the nave, is an early Elizabethan alabster monument to Thomas Cave (c1558) and his wife.

At the head end of the tomb chest two putti hold a roundel, at the foot end are representations of his 14 children.

The upper parts of the chancel screen come from Lutterworth, the organ case in the west gallery is C16/C17 and is reputed to come from the Royal Chapel Whitehall.

More medieval stained glass is contained in the east window, and north and south chancel windows.

The chancel has another memorial by Richard Westmacott Jr this time to Thomas Otway Cave (d1830). In addition there is an alabaster memorial to Richard Cave (d1606 Padua) which stands next to the memorial to his parents.

At the east end of the North wall stand a large alabaster memorial to Sir Thomas Cave (d1613) and his wife. The base of which contains reliefs of their children.

Tags: alabaster, effigy, elizabethan, felix joubert, font, jacobean, marble, mary thorneycroft, monument, nicholas, organ, piscina, richard westmacott, stained glass, thorneycroft, tower, westmacott