St Andrew
Cotterstock, Northamptonshire
Originally a Norman church with a wide tall chancel added in 1338 when a college here was founded by John Giffard, Canon of York.
The tower itself contains three shields on the north front showing the arms of Knyvet, on the south those of the Bassett family, both coming together on the west front. They record the marriage of Sir John to Elizabeth Bassett in 1381. High above the spire is decorated with crockets and unusual lucarnes (gabled openings).
After this point you say goodbye to the medieval period as the chancel and nave were rebuilt as a Georgian box in the 1760’s and in doing this provided space for the great treasure of the church the tomb of George Lynn (d1758). This is a late work by Louis Francois Roubiliac (1705-1762) the outstanding sculptor of the first part of the 18th century who trained in Dresden and Paris before arriving here in 1730.
Lynn is seen in profile in an oval medallion which hangs against a flattened obelisk held in place by billowing draperies. Beneath his widow tends his urn leaning on a tomb chest, note the nonchalance of her slippers. All is as Roubiliac intended even down to the iron railings which still protect the monument.
The pure 18th century atmosphere of the church was transformed in the 1860’s when gothic windows were introduced and the walls were shorn of their plasterwork.
