St. Leonard, Catworth, Huntingdonshire

Description

The church of St. Leonard is an ancient edifice of stone, in the Decorated and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, clerestoried nave of four bays, aisles, south porch and an embattled western tower, surmounted by an octagonal spire with two tiers of dormers on the cardinal sides and containing a clock and 4 bells: in the chancel is a fine piscina: a brass chandelier in the church dates from 1666: the stained east window is a memorial to Harriett (ob. 1876), daughter of Major-General William Croxton: the two stained windows in the sanctuary are to the memory of the Rev. W. Woodward, rector 1891 to 1912, and his wife, erected by the family: the communion table of carved oak is inscribed, "The gift of Thomas Ekins, in the year 1634," and there is a small mural tablet with the figure of an angel holding a shield of arms and an inscription in Latin to Elizabeth Brudenell, ob. 1656: in the south aisle is a mural monument to Dr. John Lawton and Rose (Dryden), his wife, a sister of John Dryden, the Poet Laureate; she died 1710: on the north wall is a tablet to Maj.-Gen. William Croxton, who is buried in the church: the church was restored in 1876, at a cost of £1,300, raised by subscriptions, about £700 being given by the Rev. E. L. Puxley, rector at that time: during a thunderstorm. on July 1st, 1914, the spire was struck by lightning: there are 340 sittings: in the churchyard are several fine yew trees.

Church Records

The parish register dates from the year 1561.