Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a Perpendicular church, largely rebuilt in the 15th century, with some features from around 1200. It is constructed of ashlar sandstone with lead roofs and is situated in Ecclesfield, close to Church Street. The church has a cruciform plan, comprising a five-bay aisled nave, a south porch, a crossing tower, and a three-bay chancel with north and south chapels. Each aisle and transept is characterised by a shallow single-bay projection.

The exterior features a chamfered plinth with double wave-moulding, offset buttresses between bays, and embattled parapets with crocketed pinnacles, except to the aisles. The south porch to the second bay of the nave has half-detached angle buttresses with pinnacles, linked by small flying buttresses. Each bay of the south aisle has three-light windows with transoms and cusped tracery, set within depressed arches with hoodmoulds. The clerestory has arched three-light windows. The west end has a recessed arched doorway beneath a five-light west window with panel tracery, and three-light aisle windows. The crossing tower is in three stages, with a string course at each stage. A clock is set within a lozenge-shaped panel on the south wall, and there are two-light round-headed bell openings above. Gargoyles are positioned on the string course beneath the embattled parapet, which is topped with eight pinnacles. The south transept features a small recessed doorway beneath a five-light transomed south window with cusped tracery. The chancel has three-light windows to the south chapel and to the end bay, culminating in a five-light east window with panel tracery.

Inside, a fragment of a 13th-century arch has been re-erected within the porch. The north arcade piers are cylindrical, while the south piers are octagonal, with keeled responds to the west wall and double-chamfered arches. The chancel arch has three sunk quarter-round mouldings and half-octagonal responds. A font, dated 1662 and reworked, stands on an octagonal moulded plinth. A restored rood screen features traceried two-light divisions and a restored coving. Parclose screens have single-light divisions. Stalls attached to the rood screen include two misericords carved with heads, and additional heads are carved on their arms. There are also carved figures on bench ends in the north chapel, including one dated 1564 in the south chapel. A monument to Sir Richard Scott, dated 1640 and by William Wright (restored 1749), stands in the south chapel, featuring a recumbent figure set beyond a two-bay arcade with a taller central column, all enclosed by a wrought iron fence. The chapels have fine original timber roofs with bosses; the nave has a 20th-century roof. Medieval glass is present in bay one of the north aisle, otherwise the glass is of good Victorian quality.