Church Of St Helen

The Church of St Helen is a building of group value, with origins dating back to the 12th century. A tower was added, and the remainder of the church was remodelled between the 13th and early 14th centuries, with further additions in the 15th century, including a south porch, a tower parapet, and a spire. The church is constructed from rubble limestone and has stone slate roofs.

The west tower features a chamfered plinth and quoins. A lean-to overlaps the north and south sides of the lower stage. Offset buttresses flank two lancet windows on the west side, and paired lancets are present on the southern overlap. Rectangular slits are chamfered and located on the second stage. Beneath the paired, ogee-headed belfry openings with louvres is a string course with gargoyles, followed by an embattled ashlar parapet with crocketed corner pinnacles. A recessed octagonal spire has a weathervane.

The nave has a Perpendicular south porch with a transverse-arched ashlar roof. The south door within the porch has a moulded, pointed arch. A three-light window on the right features cavetto-moulded mullions and Tudor-arched lights, with a hoodmould that has large, lozenge-shaped stops. A two-light window to its right has ogee-headed lights set in a deeply-chamfered recess. The north wall displays some herringbone masonry and a blocked, square-headed doorway, with a renewed three-light window to the east featuring Decorated tracery. An ashlar chimney and east gable copings with a cross are also present.

The chancel is lower than the nave. A priest’s door is flanked by two lancet windows on the left, with a partly-blocked lancet above. An ogee-headed, single-light window is located on the right, with a blocked lancet beyond. The east window consists of three Tudor-arched lights with a simple hoodmould, and the east gable copings feature a cross.

Inside, the tower features a double-quadrant moulded arch, with the inner order on cylindrical responds and moulded capitals. Double-chamfered arches lead from the tower to the north and south embrasures. The two-bay south arcade has a broad quadrant mould that cuts off the corners of a square pier, with moulded capitals. Double-chamfered, pointed arches have a damaged figure in the north spandrel beneath an ogee-headed niche, and painted decoration to the eastern arch. A 19th century roof structure is present. A double-chamfered chancel arch has broach stops. Ogee-headed piscinas are located in the chancel and the south aisle. The font has broach stops to a square base, a shaft with attached columns, and an octagonal bowl. A good, early pulpit features corner shafts and initials ‘C.B.’ above urns with three fleur-de-lys. A benefactions board is in the south aisle, along with the Royal Arms of George II, dated “1796 T. CURTIS PINXI.” A brass in the chancel commemorates John Lewis (d.1579) and his wife. A 17th century wall monument is dedicated to Edward Lewys, taking the form of a draped Ionic aedicule with arms displayed above.