Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a parish church, largely of the 15th century, with earlier fabric and a tower restored in 1935. It is constructed of coursed squared sandstone with stone slate roofs. The church comprises a west tower, a nave with north and south aisles, and a chancel with an added north vestry.

The four-stage west tower has diagonal buttresses, weathered plinths and bands, a two-centred arched west doorway with three orders of moulding and a hoodmould, a large two-centred arched west window of three lights with Perpendicular tracery, a hollow-moulded reveal and a hoodmould. Above the window is a small crocketed niche. Belfry windows have two lights with transoms and cinquefoil lights, wooden louvres, hollow-moulded surrounds and hoodmoulds with figured stops. The tower is topped with a restored embattled parapet and crocketed corner pinnacles. A clockface is set into the south side of the third stage.

Low, buttressed aisles flank the tower. A late 19th or early 20th century gabled porch is located at the first bay of the south aisle. Large, four-centred arched windows of three cusped lights, with mouchette tracery in the heads (restored mullions and tracery), double-chamfered reveals and hoodmoulds with figured stops, are present in the south aisle. Similar windows are found at the east and west ends. The north aisle mirrors the south aisle; however, its windows have cinquefoil lights and Perpendicular tracery. A small, 13th-century two-centred arched doorway is set into the centre of the north aisle. The nave’s clerestory features three two-light windows of matching style, and is topped with an embattled parapet.

The low, two-bay chancel, rebuilt in restored ashlar, incorporates two four-centred arched three-light windows with cinquefoil lights, chamfered reveals and hoodmoulds with figured stops. A small 14th-century arched doorway is positioned between the windows. The chancel has a plain parapet and a large, two-centred arched east window of five cinquefoil lights with Perpendicular tracery, a double-chamfered reveal and a hoodmould with figured stops.

The interior features three-bay arcades with octagonal columns, moulded caps and double-chamfered arches. A low, two-bay north arcade in a matching style is located within the chancel. A fine marble wall monument to Sir John Bright (died 1688) is set into the south wall of the chancel. This monument is bowed and includes a lengthy inscription on the square central panel, carved to appear as if thinly veiled by drapery, as well as a swagged apron, an elaborately carved crown including a shield of arms, helm and feather (with a radiant sun behind), surmounted by an orb with a gadrooned cap, all surrounded by foliated scrolls. A C15 octagonal font with traceried panels is situated near the south doorway. Stained glass windows, by Kenpe of 1893 and around 1900, are located in the north and south aisles.