St Lawrence

Here is a large town church that speaks of the 15th century. In 1483 Edward V, the husband of Elizabeth Woodville of nearby Grafton Regis, gave a large grant of stone from the royal quarries nearby in Whittlebury.

Towcester, Northamptonshire

Opening times

The church normally open.

Address

Chantry Lane
Towcester
Northamptonshire
NN12 6AD

The already fine church was substantially enhanced with a new tower, a finely decorated west door, the raising of the roof to accommodate a clerestory and the new aisle windows.

This transformation was carried out only a little time after the erecting of the extraordinary tomb here to the town’s benefactor Archdeacon Sponne, rector at Towcester from 1442-48. It is a double tomb chest, nothing unusual about that nor with the effigy of Sponne, dressed as a cathedral canon on top. However, below, seen through an arcade you catch the bizarre sight of Sponne’s skeleton.

Elsewhere in the church you will discover architectural improvements carried out by Charles I courtier Sir Roger Banister, who paid for the chancel roof in 1640, and work by John Loughborough Pearson who restored the church in 1883. The building lies adjacent to Towcester’s ancient market square and the exciting new developments towards the river Tove and surrounding the Castle Mound.

  • Spectacular stained glass

  • Social heritage stories

  • Magnificent memorials

  • Glorious furnishings

  • Enchanting atmosphere

  • Captivating architecture

  • Walkers & cyclists welcome

  • Space to secure your bike

  • Parking within 250m

  • On street parking at church

  • Level access to the main areas

  • Dog friendly

  • Accessible toilets nearby

  • Church of England

Contact information

Other nearby churches

St Mary

Easton Neston, Northamptonshire

St Mary's church is all that remains of the medieval village of Easton Neston when, following the enclosure of the land, the village was transferred to Hulcote.

St John the Baptist

Tiffield , Northamptonshire

Delightful limestone church dating from the 13th century and quite possibly replacing a wooden Saxon church which existed on the site when the Domesday Book was written in 1086.

St James the Great

Paulerspury, Northamptonshire

There are two distinct reasons for coming here. The rare medieval wooden effigies and the association with the great nonconformist missionary William Carey (1761–1834).