The Twycross parish chuch of St James, dates from the 14th century with a 15th century tower. The church was restored in 1840 and presented with a number of stained glass panels that had originally come from Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, Saint-Denis near Paris, Le Mans cathederal, and Saint-Julien-du-Sault in Burgundy.

The church was restored in the 1840s and contains architectural memorials to Lord Howe who sponsored the restoration, and early Victorian armourial stained glass, by Thomas Willement, showing the arms of Queen Adelaide with the 21 German States, and on the south side is a large window with a the arms of the Curzon family as a central piece.

The stained glass in the East window is early French and was originally presented to King William IV who then gave to Lord Howe.

Following the French Revolution French churches lost a lot of their original stained glass. Some of it was smashed, whilst other bits were sold off. The two panels above were original in Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, which lost a third of its glass.

Tags: french, medieval, stained glass, tower

The church of St Mary was built between 1220-1280, and extended between 1320-1350. The west porch doorway is recessed, and the tympanum has 13th century roundels depicting biblical stories. Carved into the spandrels of the north west window is a pipe and tabor player, probably of a similar date.

The scenes in the tympanum include the Annunciation, and Jesus amongst the doctors,

the crucifixion, and the three Mary’s at the tomb.

Inside this is a spacious building that used to be a Collegiate Church, the nave arcade is four bays in the Early English style.

The college in Archbishop Chichele’s time had a master, seven chaplains, four clerks, and six choristers. The misedricords in the choir stalls are carved with a number of designs including the Arms of Archbishop Henry Chichele, and a portait of him with two clerks.

Other designs feature a Pelican feeding her young with it’s own blood, and other mythical beasts and portraits.

The church also contains a number of brass monuments , including a civilian of c1540, a large monument of 4ft 3in figures c1425 to Archbishop Chichele’s brother and wife, and the Henry Denton (1498) chaplain of Chelveston wearing priest vestments.

The most famous monument though, is one of the earliest English brasses and reputed to be the best in England, is that dedicated to Laurence St. Maur (d1337) dean of Hereford. Around his neck is rectangle of cloth embroidered with cinquefoils. He is wearing a liturgical vestment which is heavily embroidered. Above the main figure in the canopy is a group of figures with Abraham seated in the middle and Saint Andrew and St. Peter to the left of him and St. Paul and St. Thomas to the right. The angels on either side of Abraham hold the soul of Laurence St. Maur.

The church also contains stained glass windows by Kemp and Tower, and the Lancaster firm of Shrigley and Hunt.

Tags: brass, hunt, kempe, medieval, misericord, shrigley, stained glass, steeple

Built of Limestone with sandstone dressings this is mainly a C14/C15 church in the Decorated style. The upper part of the tower is in the Perpendicular style with battlements and a recessed spire.

The church contains a number of staimed glass windows by the major designers of the age. Including the work above by Tower (1928) of Simeon taking Jesus into his arms.

Other windows contain a Christ in Majesty with St Thomas, St Anne, and St George by Kempe, a Crucifixion by Hardman, and a work by Powell & sons depicting Mary Magdalen, the mother of James, and Salome at the tomb.

Lower panels of south aisle east window by Kempe, these are represenations of St Thomas, St Ann and the Virgin, and St George.

The east window is by Burlison & Grylls which tells the Easter story in nine panels.

Tags: burlison grylls, decorated, hardman, powell, spire, stained glass, tower

St. John the Baptist is built of Limestone and Shale and dates from the C13 and C14, with the addition of a C17 porch. The chancel arch is double chamfered chancel arch and 4 bayed nave.

The west tower and door are C14 as are the corbel heads in the nave roof.

North aisle stained glass featuring decapitation of John the Baptist.

East window.

Tags: corbel, john the baptist, perpendicular, stained glass, tower