Church of St Mary

Church of St Mary

Church of around 1139 with later additions and alterations. Early 13th-century work includes the third stage of the tower and the insertion of some windows. 15th-century work comprises the fourth stage of the tower and the south porch. The chancel was rebuilt, a vestry was added, and the porch underwent extensive restoration in 1856–57 by J Pearson for Sir Tatton Sykes, fifth Baronet of Sledmere.

The building is constructed of sandstone ashlar with a Welsh slate roof. The plan comprises a four-stage west tower, a four-bay nave with south porch, and a three-bay chancel with a north vestry.

Tower

The tower has a stepped and chamfered plinth with angle buttresses featuring off-sets up to the second stage. The west side of the first stage contains a round-arched light with a chamfered surround and a slit window. A first-stage band runs horizontally. The second stage has a slit window on the west side, followed by a second-stage band. The third stage features twin-light Early English belfry openings on each side. The fourth stage has twin-light pointed Perpendicular belfry openings on each side, with a corbel table and low parapet above.

Nave

The nave has a stepped and chamfered plinth with pilaster buttresses between bays. The south porch occupies the second bay, with its own plinth and angle buttresses featuring off-sets. The porch entrance is a double-chamfered pointed arch under a hoodmould, with a trefoiled niche to the gable containing a 20th-century statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A cross stands at the apex.

Within the porch is a round-arched plank door surrounded by three orders of moulding. The outer order has shafts with scrolled capitals and beakheads to the arch. The central order has shafts with scrolled capitals and dogtooth moulding to the arch. The inner order has shafts with scallop and scroll capitals and an arch of zigzag moulding decorated with faces, scrolls, and geometric designs. The abaci feature scrolls, geometric designs, and interlacing motifs. The hoodmould is decorated with animals and naturalistic motifs. The entire porch has undergone partial restoration.

The south side of the nave has a continuous sill band. The first bay contains a two-light window with plate tracery, with shafts featuring faces and intertwining motifs to the capitals supporting an order of roll-moulding. The third bay has a late Norman single-light window with shafts and scallops, scrolls, and faces to the capitals, with dogtooth moulding to the head. The fourth bay contains an Early English two-light traceried pointed window under a hoodmould with face stops, its head at the apex and a bearded head on a shaft.

The north side of the nave has an entrance to the second bay comprising a plank door under an elliptical arch within a doorcase of a single order of nook-shafts with scallop and scroll capitals and roll-moulding to the head. A continuous sill band runs across this side. The other bays contain single-light Norman windows with nook-shafts, faces, and other motifs to the capitals, with zigzag moulding to the heads. A corbel table runs along the north side. The nave has stone copings and a cross at its east end.

Chancel

The south side of the chancel has a stepped and chamfered plinth with pilaster buttresses and a continuous sill band. The windows are Norman in style, similar to those in the nave but with continuous hoodmoulding. A corbel table runs along this side.

The north side contains a Norman-style vestry in the second bay with a round-arched plank door to its west side, roll-moulded hood, two rounded lights to the north gable end, and a circular window above. A corbel table fronts the vestry. The remainder of the north side has single-light Norman-style windows matching those on the south side.

The east end of the chancel features a continuous moulded sill band with three round-arched lights with scallop and scroll-moulded capitals and zigzag moulding to the head, each under a roll-moulded hood. A rose window sits above. Copings with a cross at the apex finish the gable.

Interior

The interior contains a tall pointed tower arch with three chamfered transverse ribs to the soffit; the outer arch has a hood with ball moulding. A tower staircase runs up two flights to the south and west faces before becoming a spiral.

The Norman chancel arch has three orders of zigzag moulding on shafts with scallop capitals under a decorated hoodmould. Above this is a 19th-century triple arcade with scallop capitals to the shafts and zigzag moulding to the arches.

A marble reredos by Street features relief scenes by Redfern. A Norman tub font is carved with figures and animals. A wooden chancel screen is also by Street.