Church of St Botolph, Churchside, Shepshed (Grade I)

Parish Church, C13 west tower and spire. C15 nave, with clerestory and aisles, and chancel, C19 north porch and south vestry, 1935. South transept with vestry by Albert Herbert. C19 and C20 restorations. Of Charnwood granite rubble with ashlar dressings and Swithland slate roofs. Perpendicular tracery to nave and chancel. Three stage west tower lit by lancets with angles clasped by buttresses. Two-light bell chamber openings. Broach spire has 2-light lucernes with Y-tracery. Three bay nave has cruciform piers on tall bases. Roof dated 1636 and 1652 and renovated 1912. North aisle roof replaced 1952. Pointed chancel arch with 2 continuously chamfered orders. Chancel roof 1880. Medieval benches with heads and poppy heads on the ends. C14 font. Pinscina in south aisle. Pulpit by R Norman Shaw (Andrew Saint, Richard Norman Shaw, p 298). Chancel has piscina, C18 communion rail and a series of very fine monuments to the Phillipps family of Garendon. (N Pevsner, Leicestershire and Rutland, p 227; Harold Mack, Shepshed Parish Church). Many finely carved Swithland slate headstones in the churchyard.