Church Of St Mary

Church of St Mary

This is a substantial parish church of 15th-century origin, with the tower rebuilt in 1697. The building underwent major restoration between 1861 and 1863 under the architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, a cousin of the vicar, when a south porch, minor south aisle and vestry were added and the tower was remodelled. Further restoration took place in 1936–37. The church is constructed of ashlar.

The building comprises a nave and chancel with clerestorey under a continuous roof, north and south aisles, a west tower, south porch and vestry.

The nave has a string course, coped parapet and gable. The east end features a 7-light Perpendicular lancet with panel tracery, moulded surround and a linked hoodmould with mask stops. The clerestorey has on either side 12 elliptical-arched untraceried triple lancets, with the 6 lancets to the east being smaller. Both aisles have plinths, string courses and coped parapets.

The north aisle contains 5 Decorated triple lancets with linked hoodmoulds, and at both the east and west ends a triple lancet with panel tracery. At the north-west end there is a coved and roll-moulded doorway with double doors. The major south aisle has a south-western angle buttress with panelled pinnacle, and the east and west ends are each lit by a 4-light lancet with panel tracery and hoodmould. The minor south aisle has 3 buttresses. Adjacent to the south porch are 2 Decorated triple lancets and 2 cusped double lancets, all with hoodmoulds. The east end has a traceried triple lancet with hoodmould.

The south-west porch has a plinth, eaves band and parapet with pierced quatrefoils and crocketed pinnacles on the west side, beneath a lead roof. The doorway is roll-moulded with double shafts, hoodmould and mask stops. On either side are 2 cusped double lancets with hoodmoulds, with a crocketed niche positioned between the west windows. The interior features a scissor-braced roof with a central arch brace on corbels and a coved and keel-moulded doorway with hoodmould.

The vestry to the south-east has a plinth, eaves band and coped parapet. Its buttressed west side contains 2 segmental pointed triple lancets with hoodmoulds and a door to their left. The east side is blank. The south gable has a single angle buttress and a larger segmental pointed 4-light lancet with hoodmould.

The west tower is of 4 stages with a plinth, string course and quatrefoil frieze, surmounted by a traceried crenellated parapet with 4 pinnacles. A single angle buttress stands to the north-west. Above the second stage are octagonal corner turrets topped with panelled pinnacles and crocketed spires. The first stage contains a moulded archway with hoodmould and double shafts to the north and south, forming a through passage. The interior has a 3-bay vault with chamfered ribs and bosses. A fillet-moulded doorway with double shafts and hoodmould leads into the church, while a plain chamfered doorway opens to the tower. The second stage has a triple lancet with hoodmould to the west, and to the north and south are niches topped with crocketed pinnacles. The third stage has a double lancet with hoodmould on each side. The bell stage has a tall transomed double lancet bell opening on each side, with linked hoodmoulds.

Interior: The nave and chancel have 3-bay arcades with triple moulded 4-centred arches with hoodmoulds and angel stops. The piers have 4 shafts and 4 hollows, with capitals carved with animals and fish. The clerestorey contains a sill band and 12 windows. The chancel arcades and clerestorey windows are smaller, and the arcades have traceried Perpendicular-style wooden screens similar to the rood screen, which like the hanging rood was created by Temple Moore in 1912. The east end has a 19th-century stained-glass window and a 19th-century Decorated-style stone reredos with 7 cusped niches topped with pinnacles. The west end features a tower arch similar to the arcades, with triple shaft responds and a 19th-century traceried glazed wooden screen and gallery. The tower's west window has 19th-century stained glass.

The north aisle has a roof similar to the nave, with a painted ceiling in the 3 eastern bays (the chapel of the Nativity). It contains mid and late 19th-century stained-glass windows and a Tudor-arched north-west door. The east end has a billeted traceried screen, wall panels and stalls dated 1908.

The minor south aisle has a 6-bay arcade of 1863, matching the nave and chancel arcades. The west end has a respond, and the east end an impost with an angel corbel. A very low-pitched roof with moulded tie beams covers this aisle. The east and west ends have stained-glass windows of 1856 and 1892 respectively.

The major south aisle has a roof similar to the minor south aisle and a Tudor-arched south-west doorway. It contains mid-19th-century stained glass. The east end has a Gothic organ case of circa 1905 and a Tudor-arched door to the choir vestry. A traceried panel enclosing the clergy vestry incorporates some 16th-century carved panels. The choir vestry has a low-pitched roof with collars, panelled walls, an overmantel with fitted cupboards that incorporate parts of the 18th-century pulpit.

Fittings include 19th-century stalls and benches, an altar with triptych, a traceried oak pulpit, and a Decorated-style font.

Memorials include a small brass of 1525 to John Harrison, and incised slabs dated 1629 and 1683. An alabaster bust to William Dobson (1666) has a pedimented surround, cherub supporters, Latin inscription and an apron decorated with skulls. A shaped marble cartouche with crest and winged skull commemorates Philip Wilkinson (1715). A marble and slate sarcophagus tablet honours John Barker (1816). Three marble and slate tablets date from the mid and late 18th century. Two marble and slate obelisk tablets are dated 1812 and 1816. A draped medallion to John Scott by J Loft dates to 1834.

To the south of the building, the churchyard wall of mid-19th-century date is of brick with chamfered ashlar coping.