Apethorpe

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Welcome to the Church of St Leonard’s, Apethorpe

St Leonard’s Church, Apethorpe aims to make the love of God known to everyone who lives in the village, through lively worship and caring fellowship.

The Parish of Apethorpe is part of the Watersmete Benefice consisting of the villages of Apethorpe, Nassington, Thornhaugh, Wansford, Woodnewton and Yarwell. The Rev Jane Tailby is the Vicar of the Watersmete Benefice.  If you wish to contact Jane, she can be contacted at the Vicarage at 34 Station Road in Nassington, or by phone 01780 782271.  Friday is her day off.

Services are held at 11.00am most Sundays, with Evensong at 6pm once a month in the summer months.  We welcome weddings and baptisms being held in the church.  If you would like to arrange a funeral or wedding, please contact Jane Tailby, see contact pages. If you would like to arrange baptism, please contact Jan Downey.

The Church and its environment

The village of Apethorpe is situated 7 miles north of the market town of Oundle to which Deanery the Church of St Leonard belongs. There is a population of around 140 people in both owner occupied and rented properties.

Apethorpe was historically the seat of the Earls of Westmoreland and boasts a large 3-courtyard Hall. The Brassey family owned the Hall from 1904 to 1947 when it was sold to the Roman Catholic Church and used as a School until the mid 80’s.

Whilst there is some evidence of an earlier Church, recent dendrological tests carried out by English Heritage show that the present Church was most likely to have been built sometime in the mid to late 15th century. The church has many objects well worth seeing including the Mildmay Monument in the South Chapel with the most wonderful painted glass window, both dated 1621 and both built as a memorial to Sir Anthony and Lady Grace Mildmay. A recent paper attributes the window to Baptist Sutton, the London glazier who received many commissions from people closely associated with the court. the design is most likely to have been based on Grace Milmay’s meditations, which were to her “the consolation of my soul, the joy of my heart and the stability of mymind”. The main west window is also painted but from a later date.