Church Of St Mary

Church of St Mary

Church of 15th-century date, incorporating some 13th-century materials, with later additions and alterations including a south porch probably of the mid-19th century, a north vestry dated 1859, and a 20th-century parapet to the tower. The building is constructed of pinkish-red brick in mainly stretcher bond with ashlar dressings, and has lead and plain tile roofs.

The plan consists of a 3-stage west tower, a 3-bay nave with south porch and north vestry, and a narrower and lower 2-bay chancel.

The west tower has a chamfered plinth and angle buttresses with offsets to full height with ashlar dressings; the south-west buttress carries an incised mass clock. A hollow-chamfered ashlar sill band continues around the tower and to the west end of the nave. The first stage has a 3-cinquefoil-light straight-headed window in a double-chamfered ashlar surround with hollow-chamfered hoodmould that continues around the tower, and to the right a slit window in ashlar surround. The second stage on the west, south and north sides has a pointed opening in chamfered surround under hoodmould with label stops, and to the right of the western opening a slit opening. The third stage has 2-light bell openings with 4-centred arched lights in chamfered ashlar surrounds under hollow-chamfered hoodmoulds with label stops to each side. There is a hollow-chamfered cornice and a low parapet.

The nave has a chamfered plinth and buttresses with offsets to two-thirds height. The south porch, positioned between the first and second bays, has a chamfered plinth and short angle buttresses. Its entrance is a pointed opening in a chamfered surround under a hollow-chamfered hoodmould, with double wood and mesh outer doors. Above the entrance is a pointed niche inscribed "GLORIA/IN/EICELSIS/DEO". The interior of the porch has a similar pointed-arched opening with chamfered surround and board door, under a hollow-chamfered hoodmould with label stops, inscribed "ENTER INTO HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING, AND INTO HIS COURTS WITH PRAISE", and above this a chamfered pointed niche inscribed "TE/DEUM/LAUDAMAS". Ashlar copings with a cross at the apex finish the porch. The first and second bays of the nave have tall 2-cinquefoil-light square-headed windows; the third bay has a tall 3-cinquefoil-light window in a double-chamfered square-headed ashlar surround under a hollow-chamfered hoodmould with label stops. The nave has a low parapet.

The north side of the nave has a chamfered plinth and buttresses with offsets to two-thirds height. The vestry, positioned between the first and second bays, has a 4-centred entrance on its west side with a plank door, and a 4-centred window to the left with quoined, chamfered surround. An eroded plaque on the north side carries the date 1859. The first bay has a tall 2-cinquefoil-light square-headed window; the remaining bays have similar but shorter windows in double-chamfered ashlar surrounds under hollow-chamfered hoodmoulds with label stops. The north side has a low parapet.

The chancel has a chamfered plinth. On the south side is an off-centre priest's entrance, a 3-long-panelled door in a 4-centred surround with quoined and chamfered ashlar jambs incised with mass clocks and under a heavy lintel with brick relieving arch over. The first bay has a single trefoiled-light in a chamfered ashlar surround and under a brick relieving arch. The second bay has a 2-cinquefoil-light square-headed window in a hollow-chamfered ashlar surround under a hollow-chamfered hoodmould. On the north side are three reused lancet lights, the easternmost under a replacement elliptical arch, with quoined and chamfered ashlar jambs and under rubbed brick hoodmoulds with label stops. A low parapet runs throughout. The east end has a 3-stepped-cinquefoil-light window in a hollow-chamfered surround and under a hollow-chamfered hoodmould with label stops. Beneath this is an ashlar tablet to Ann Lawson, died 1766, under a hollow-chamfered hoodmould. Ashlar copings finish the chancel. Most windows are partly recut.

The interior contains a tower arch with a double-chamfered pointed head. A 2-light pointed piscina is in the south wall of the nave. A 19th-century stoup is in the chancel, together with a boss for a statue. The rood screen has 3 tiers of cinquefoil lights. A late 17th-century communion rail has alternate fluted rod and barley twist on leafed-vase balusters. A 19th-century bowl font is present. The nave has an open timber roof with a grid beamed ceiling and bosses.

Monuments in the chancel include a marble cartouche with cherub's heads to Mrs Sarah Bethell, died 1730, and other marble tablets to William Dickinson, died 1702, William Hall, died 1681, and Mrs Elizabeth Bethell, died 1726. An incised slab to William de Malton dates from about 1260.