Rutland Water Benefice

St. Nicholas - Pilton

Village

Pilton is a small village a mile or two south of Rutland Water, and near North Luffenham, Wing and Lyndon. It is surrounded by mainly pasture land, lying on a road connecting Lyndon and Morcott.

To the east of the village is the site of the former Pilton Brick & Tile Works which was part of the Normanton estate, owned by the Earls of Ancaster.

Opposite the church is a house rebuilt in 1823 and adjoining the church is a cottage which was formerly the rectory.

Church

The church of St Nicholas at Pilton may have been originally erected at the beginning of the 13th century, but it is possible that the nave represents an aisle-less 12th century church to which, about 1200-1210, an aisle was added, the south wall being pierced by the existing arcade of two bays.

The building consists of chancel with double bell-cote on the west gable, south aisle and south porch. The aisle is under a separate lean-to roof, above which the short portion of the nave wall is un-pierced; the roofs are covered with overhanging stone slates.

The bell-cote rises from the west wall and has two small gables connected by a short ridge, each topped by a cross. The detail is very simple, some of its original character possibly having been lost when the bell-cote was rebuilt. A panel above the window in the west wall of the nave, inscribed '1562, iw, ge,' probably refers to some repairs carried out at that time.

In the 14th century, new windows were inserted in the aisle, the porch erected, and the chancel arch rebuilt in its present form. In the 15th century a window of rather unusual design was installed in the eastern bay of the north wall.

The chancel was rebuilt in 1852 and the church was restored and the porch rebuilt in 1878.

Some items extracted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia [link]