The parish church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Leodegarius dates from 1100, but is mostly an C14-C15 construction. Saint Leodegarius was a French Benedictine Bishop who became abbot of St. Maxentius in 653.

The gabled south porch and most of the pews in the nave are early 14th century.

The crucifix above the rood screen was designed and made by Liz Holden from Long Buckby in 1995. The rood screen itself dates from 1500 and was installed by George Catesby as a thanks offering for the return of the Estate to the family two years earlier in 1498. The estate had been confiscated in 1485 following the execution of William Catesby, a principle councilor to Richard III, who had been captured by Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth (22 August 1485).

The Catesby’s next came to prominence when Robert Catesby (1573 – November 8, 1605), became the originator of the plot to blow up James I and Parliament in 1605.

The triple level Jacobean pulpit and box pews behind it are early 17th century. The pews in front are medieval, the lower level rests were for elbows, as the congregation would not have had books. The clerk would sit in the lower part of the pulpit, whilst the vicar conducted the service from the middle tier and the preacher at the top. The chancel was extensively remodeled during the C18 and C19.

The south wall contains a fresco of 1325 depicting the flagellation of St. Margaret. The west wall has a 16th century fresco commemorating the Black Death. The figure of Death holds a spade and pick. The north wall has a large 15th century fresco of St. Christopher.

Above the chancel arch are medieval wall paintings depicting "The Passion" these frescos are 14th and 15th century. They were uncovered during restoration work in 1927 and are the most extensive cycles in the UK. The section on the south wall depicts the crucifixion and the Marys at the tomb, that on the north wall the entry into Jerusalem.
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The plain font is Norman with a medieval wooden cover. The C19 chancel window has scenes showing the nativity, Risen Christ, and three Mary’s at the tomb. In the north aisle is a full length brass figure of Sir Richard Catesby 1553, wearing tabard with Catesby Arms.

The rood screen has 4 traceried openings, coving with fan vaulting, and dado with blind tracery and original painted decoration.

Sculpture of St Leger at Chartres Cathedral.

Tags: brass, fresco, leodegarius, pulpit, rood screen, tower

Due to the small population of the parish St. Peter’s has been closed and reopened a number of times during the last 150 years. It finally ceased to hold any regular services in the 1950s.

Nowadays it is owned by the Churches Conservation Trust, and remains a consecrated building, although services are only held here once a year.

The church originally served the nearby medieval village which was abandoned some time during the 14th century. The church continued to serve the villages of Flecknoe, Sawbridge, and Nethercote. However, a smaller church was built in the late 19th century in the village of Flecknoe which is about 2-3 miles away as the crow files. The building was paid for by the railway company in 1891 as compensation for the disruption caused at Wolfhampcote. The railway itself was closed to passengers in 1952 but carried freight until 1963.

The pews in the foreground are medieval as can be seen by the low shelf which is for resting elbows, not books. The date of these pews is thought to be 14th century but there is some evidence for an earlier 11th century date. The font is Anglo-Saxon. The octagonal pulpit with inlaid panels is dated 1790.

The chancel contains a modern pointed traceried five-light window, and the altar rails are also modern. The floor is paved with a number of memorial slabs from the 18th century, and the walls contain 19th century memorials to the Tibbits family.

On either side of the chancel arch are half-round moulded corbels. The steep-pitched king-post roof in the chancel consisting of three trusses, and is probably 14th century.

A C14 ogee-headed piscina with circular basin is inset into the south wall of the north chapel, indicating that an altar was once there. The north aisle has a memorial cross to John Truslove who died aged 16.

The sanctuary contains memorial slabs and a brass memorial to Frances Benyon wife of parish minister (died 1687).

Tags: brass, font, peter, pews, pulpit, tower

Parish church of St. Martin, Welton.

Gravestone of John Hewitt, lost and starved to death aged 6. The simple font is late medieval.

The pulpit was carved by local villagers, a wooden alms box stands by the door, and a C18 memorial plaque on the wall beside the pulpit.

The C19 polychrome marbles and malachite floor, is reputed to be a Russian gift.

Tags: malachite, marble, martin, memorial, monument, pulpit, stained glass, tower

All Saints parish church was originally built in the 13th century and was entirely rebuilt in the 14th century.

Late in the 15th century the nave and chancel were raised, the church was last restored and re-roofed by Sir Gilbert Scott in 1876. The memorial stained glass is dedicated to Charles Rowland Palmer-Morewood High Sheriff of Warwickshire (1881). The window itself is 15th century inserted into a 14th century recess.

The effigy is thought to be that of Roger de Paveley the second rector of Ladbroke (1298-1303) but is probably later. It was discovered under the chancel during restoration in 1876. The sedilia with three seats, has moulded cinquefoil ogee heads with crockets, poppy-head finials and head-stops over the moulded mullions dividing the seats; except for the two mullions it is a modern restoration.

This window show the encounter between Mary Magdalene and Jesus at the Tomb. The inscription is from John 20:17 and reads “Do not touch me, for I am not yet ascended to my Father”.

Tags: brass, font, pulpit, spire, stained glass