The church of St. Leonard at Aston le Walls is mostly early C14. The base of the tower is C12/C13, as are the two south aisle windows to the right of the porch which are also early C13. The porch itself is C14 and was restored along with the rest of the church in 1870 and 1881/2 by J.M. Townsend.

The north wall of the chancel contains an C14 stone effigy of a priest, which is thought to be John de Ardele who was the priest of this church in 1348. There is also a Tudor style brass monument dedicated to Alban Butler (d1609) on the north wall.

The square stone font is Romanesque and carved with a knot pattern and the Tree of Life.

At the est of the north aisle is an inscribed tablet of white marble with black Ionic half columns, and bust on top, dedicated to Elizabeth Orme (d1692).

Tags: brass, effigy, font, medieval, monument, romanesque, tower

Rebuilt upon an earlier Norman church the current building dates from about 1225 and is constructed from the local Limestone in the Early English style. The east window is c1275 with six lights, six quatrefoiled circles, and a large octofoiled circle in the head. The broached spire was rebuilt in 1826 after having being struck by lightning.

The tower is Early English and on its north side there are figures of a fiddler, and pipe and tabor player, whilst on the tower’s south side there is a figure playing a harp.

Above the chancel arch is a C15 painting (c1420) with two angels carrying the instruments of the passion. The Virgin Mary and St. John the Evangelist are on either side of the cross which was once a sculpture of the Crucifixion that has been lost.

On wall of the north aisle is a series of painting dating from between 1420-1450. The western most one is a depiction of the Seven Deadly Sins. This painting has Pride at the gates of Hell being speared by Death, and around her are dragons spewing forth the other sins.

The eastern section of the north aisle has a painting (c1420-1450) of “The three living and the three dead”. This was a popular story from the end of the C13 which originated in France. The story tells of three kings who out hunting come across three corpses who tell the kings that they are their ancestors, and berate them for a life of pleasure. The earliest recording of the story in England comes from Shropshire.

Between the painting of Pride and the Kings is a painting also from the same date of St. Christopher carrying the Christ child. The west wall above the archway leading to the tower has a painted clock face (c1390-1430) donated by local landowners John and Sarah Catlyn. An inscriptions asks for for prayers for their souls.

The north and south aisles have three windows by Francis Skeat dated between 1954 and 1981.

The baptismal font is C13 with a protruding rams head. In the chancel are two 18 in C15 brass memorials one to John Tawyer (d1470) and wife, the other to a lady (c1500).

The east window already described above contains stained glass by Kempe (c1907).

Tags: brass, kempe, medieval, peter, skeat, spire, stained glass, wall painting

Early C14 in the Perpendicular style also with Perpendicular C14 tower and a Decorated style C15 North chapel. The building is made of coursed ironstone and ironstone ashlar.

The east window is an unusual composition featuring the Annunciation and Crucifixion by Burlison & Grylls of London. Two of the windows in the South aisle “Faith Hope & Charity” and “Jesus walking on the Water” are probably by Heaton Butler & Bayne.

In the north chapel is a brass monument to Thomas Wylmer (d1580). This is a standing monument with Ionic columns, metope frieze framing brass plate with kneeling figures.

The west wall of the nave has a large grotesque carving of head with tongue sticking out c1300. Corbel heads from the same period are on the columns of the south aisle bays.

Tags: brass, burlison grylls, elizabethan, heaton butler baynes, mary, monument, stained glass, tower

The parish church of St. Andrew stands next to the Bede House which in 1602 housed 12 bedesmen (those employed to pray for the soul of their benefactor) and two women, all free of lunacy, leprosy or the French pox. The house itself is C15 and a former Palace of the Bishops of Lincoln.

St. Andrew is C14 and was rebuilt in C15 . Stylisticly it is Perpendicular with a Decorated tower.

Inside the west door there are two medieval stone coffin covers. The curch also has some rare acoustic jar made of clay that are inserted high up in the wall of the chancel.

The floor of the chancel has two brass monuments. The earliest is a 2ft 7in memorial to Helyn Hardy (d1486). She wears a veiled head-dress, mitten sleeves, belt and cordon, which was the habit of a widow who has taken vows of chastity.

Next to it is a memorial with two 3ft figures dedicated to Edward Watson (d1520) and his wife. Edward Watson was Surveyor-General to the Bishops of Lincoln, and his descendants became owners of Rockingham Castle.

Following the Reformations churches were permitted to place the altar at the east end of the church or, as the puritans preferred, in the centre of the chancel or nave.

In 1633 Archbishop Laud decreed that the altar should be at the east end and railed off from the chancel.

The altar rails at St Andrew are dated 1635 and surround the altar on all four sides – a compromise between the two factions.

The south wall of the chancel has a three seat sedilia and piscina. The C15 wooden chancel screen has painted flowers and traces of painted saints on lower panels.

The east window is dated 1870 and is a memorial to John and Elizabeth Clarke. The central four panels have representations of the Nativity, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension. The lower panels are from the old testament.

The square font is made from the local ironstone and sits on a modern base. The font covering is Jacobean and early C17.

Tags: brass, rood screen, stained glass, tower