Church Of St Martin

Church of St Martin

This church has its origins in the 11th century, with significant additions and alterations spanning from the mid-12th century through the 19th century. The building was substantially rebuilt in 1840, but retains many features from its earlier phases. It is constructed of magnesian limestone ashlar, with a brick chancel and concealed roof.

The church comprises a 3-stage west tower, a 3-bay aisled nave with clerestory, and a single-bay chancel.

West Tower

The tower stands on a plinth with diagonal buttresses that have offsets. Its west face features a pointed plank door set within a triple-chamfered cavetto- and ovolo-moulded surround. Above this is a 3-light Perpendicular window with partly re-cut mullions, set beneath a hoodmould with angel stops and resting on a cavetto-moulded continuous sill band. The second stage contains a twin-light flat-headed opening beneath a hoodmould, flanked by canopied niches for statues. The third stage has 3 stepped cinquefoil-light bell openings set in 4-centred arched surrounds. An eaves band with gargoyles at the diagonals and battlements completes the tower.

South Aisle

The south aisle entrance is through a 19th-century porch with a pointed arch supported by 3 columnar responds and a double-chamfered arch beneath a hoodmould. Inside the porch is a plank door in a chamfered surround under a hoodmould, with an 18th-century fielded-panel door beyond. The aisle wall has a chamfered plinth and buttresses with offsets. The windows are largely re-cut, comprising 2-cinquefoil-light openings within straight-headed surrounds. At the west end is a 19th-century quatrefoil window, while the east end has a 3-light pointed window with intersecting tracery beneath a hoodmould.

North Aisle

The north aisle wall has buttresses with offsets. The entrance to the second bay is a pointed plank door within a chamfered surround. The first bay contains a late 20th-century boiler house, with an adjacent 19th-century 2-light window featuring reticulated-type tracery. The third bay has a large, blocked pointed-arched opening. The west end displays a 2-light reticulated window with a quatrefoil to the head, set beneath a hoodmould. The east end has a 3-light window with intersecting tracery to the head, set in a double-chamfered surround under a hoodmould.

Clerestory and Chancel

The clerestory features 3-trefoiled-light, straight-headed windows with gargoyles and battlements. The chancel walls have buttresses with offsets. The south side has a central priests' door within a pointed surround beneath a hoodmould, with ogeed lancet windows throughout under hoodmoulds. The 3-light east window has reticulated-type tracery to the head, set beneath a hoodmould.

Interior

The tower arch is triple-chamfered, resting on rounded responds with moulded bases and capitals decorated with beasts and foliage. The nave arcade shows evidence of different phases: the 3-bay south arcade is 19th-century work, with alternate cylindrical and octagonal piers supporting double-chamfered pointed arches. The north arcade's two westernmost bays rest on cylindrical piers with re-cut scallop capitals and moulded bases, with pointed chamfered arches. The easternmost bay is 18th-century with a semicircular arch and an affixed framed wooden arch featuring fluted pilasters, frieze and cornice containing the Boynton family pew. Piers with re-cut scallop capitals support a double-chamfered pointed chancel arch; the inner order is chamfered while the outer is roll-moulded, with a hoodmould bearing incised chevron moulding.

The chancel contains an ogeed piscina. A 19th-century hammer-beam roof features angel stops. A drum-shaped Norman font with tall thin blank arcading has been re-tooled.

Woodwork includes a pulpit of approximately 1700, early 18th-century box pews, and remains of a Perpendicular traceried screen to the rear of the south aisle.

Monuments

A segmentally-arched niche for a statue is located in the south aisle. A neo-classical wall monument commemorates Thomas Dade, died 1759. The north aisle contains a pointed-arched, triple-chamfered tomb recess with a tomb chest decorated with quatrefoils for Roger de Somerville (died 1337) and his wife Maud (died 1317). A late 15th-century alabaster tomb chest decorated with figures of saints holds reclining effigies of Sir Walter Griffith (died 1481) and his wife Jane Nevill. An elaborate marble wall monument to Sir Henry Griffith (died 1645) and his 2 wives features 3 effigies replaced by 3 black coffins, with columns and curtains to the sides and base decorated with death's heads and a cartouche above. A wall monument to Sir Henry Griffith (died 1620) and his wife Elizabeth is also present. Two painted hatchments are displayed. The chancel contains a Baroque wall monument to Sir Griffith Boynton (died 1761) and a neo-classical wall monument to Sir Griffith Boynton (died 1778). A monument to Anne Cayley (died 1769) is by the Fishers of York.

Stained Glass

The north aisle east window contains kneeling 18th-century figures of Sir Roger de Somerville and his wife Maude. The east window and other chancel glass are by Wailes. Glass in the south aisle is by Kempe.