Church Of St Andrew

The Church of St Andrew is a parish church with significant pre-Conquest fabric, including the nave and tower. The upper part of the tower dates to the early 11th century, while the nave and lower part of the tower are likely older. The chancel and south transept were added in the early 13th century. The church was altered in the 1830s and 1850s by John Dobson, and further additions, including a north transept, chapel, vestry, and probably a south porch, were made in 1871 by William Slater of London. The church is constructed from roughly-squared rubble in its pre-Conquest sections, coursed rubble in its medieval parts, and squared tooled stone with tooled ashlar quoins and dressings in the 19th-century additions, all with stone slate roofs. The alterations were carried out in the 13th-century style.

The church is cruciform, possessing a west tower, a north vestry and chapel, and a south porch. The tall tower features string courses below and above the belfry; the apparent buttresses are remnants of the west gable of a taller pre-Conquest nave. The lower stage of the tower contains an original round-headed window on the south, and a similar window above a 19th-century lancet on the west. A high-level doorway with a monolithic arched head and projecting imposts and bases, linked by stripwork, is found on the south side, just below the belfry. Two-light belfry openings have baluster mullions, impost blocks and stripwork surrounds, with circular sound holes in the tympana, similar to those at Billingham.

The 19th-century porch has a chamfered arch and a trefoiled niche under a steep gable. 19th-century lancet windows are present throughout, paired in the transepts and in a triplet at the east end. Traces of an old north nave door and a priest's door in the chancel remain. Eighteen medieval cross slabs (nine complete) have been re-set into the north walls. The chancel, south transept, and 19th-century additions feature chamfered plinths and coped gables with moulded kneelers and finial crosses.

Inside, the south door of the porch is set within a chamfered 13th-century arch with a hoodmould, leading to a 19th-century door with floral ironwork. The slightly-pointed double-chamfered tower arch may be post-medieval, standing on older square jambs. The double-chamfered chancel arch sits on moulded capitals and altered responds, with a squint to the south. A similar south transept arch is decorated with corbels bearing nailhead ornamentation; the north transept arch is a copy. The north chapel has two moulded arches on a circular pier to the chancel and a single similar arch to the transept. A piscina is located in the chancel and the south transept. The re-set cross slabs serve as door and window lintels.

The church contains a mosaic reredos depicting Saints Peter and Paul, mosaic paving in the sanctuary, and a brass communion rail. A carved pulpit utilizes shafts of Frosterley marble to a pointed arcading, and a carved stone eagle lectern stands nearby. The octagonal font rests on an old moulded base. A fragment of a Saxon cross is set on a Roman carved block in the chancel. An early 19th-century memorial tablet is found in the south transept. Notable stained glass includes an Annunciation in the north transept, Kings and shepherds in the north chapel, and a Resurrection scene in the east window.