St Dionysius

Opening directly onto the High Street, the church has been very much part of the community over the centuries. It was pressed into use for special occasions. Charles I billeted his troops here before the battle of Naseby in 1645 and Cromwell used the church as a prisoner-of-war camp after the battle. In the early 19th century the west end housed the town fire-engine.

The tower with its superb broach spire, regarded by Pevsner as one of the finest in the country. The tower and steeple date from the 1300s. There is a fine 18th century sundial with the legend ‘Improve the time’ on he south side of the tower, and a tower clock with Cambridge Chimes (1902). There is also a fine golden weathercock atop the spire. 

The oldest part of the church is the chancel arch which is contemporary with the tower and spire. Little remains from the medieval church other than the stone fabric itself. There are five 15th century arcades and a rood staircase, where over 200 children’s street toys were found.

Visitors enter through the splendid Millennium glass doors installed in 2001. Engraved with words from Psalm 100, they offer an enticing glimpse of the inside stretching away to the altar and east window. The finest of the stained glass windows is the east window of 1860 depicting a series of scenes from the life of Christ. There are eight Victorian chancel windows commemorating various members of the Saunt family. One window (1936) on the south wall of the chancel has a local take on the parable of the Good Samaritan with a Leicestershire hunter instead of the traditional donkey. The northwest clerestory window of the chancel depicts various musical instruments. The east window in the south aisle remembers the restoration of the stonework 1983-87 with representations of the various groups that helped to raise funds for the project.

The church also boasts 10 bells in the present peal. There are also two peregrine falcons nesting in the tower.