Parish Church Of St Oswald

The Parish Church of St Oswald has early foundations and is primarily an Early English structure dating from around 1220, though it retains some remnants of earlier Norman work and a portion of a Saxon cross shaft located in the south aisle. The church is believed to be situated over a pagan holy well, which is now thought to be hidden beneath the tyre crossing. The tower and spire were constructed around 1330, with the spire reaching a height of 215 feet and having been rebuilt several times. There were Perpendicular additions and alterations made around 1520. Sir George Gilbert Scott added battlements to the chancel in 1878, and the church underwent restoration by Cottingham earlier in the 19th century. Inside, there are notable monuments from the 14th century, including the well-known figure of Penelope Boothby from 1791, created by Thomas Banks. Some medieval glass remains are also present. In 1644, the church was fired upon by Parliamentarians, and the marks from this event are still visible on the west wall. The church is part of a group that includes Nos 38, 40, and 72, Pegg's Almshouses, Owlfield's Almshouses, The Mansion, the Summerhouse, and the cobbled pavements, along with the churchyard gate piers, gates, and walls.