Church of St Helen

Church of St Helen

A parish church of exceptional architectural interest, dating from the late 12th century with significant additions in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. The building was restored and given a north vestry in the early 19th century, with further restoration undertaken in 1881 by F.J Robinson. It is constructed of ashlar sandstone with stone dressings and has low pitched slate roofs with stone coped gables, partly concealed by low unembattled flush parapets. A moulded plinth with stone copings runs along the tower, south side of the nave and north aisle, and there is a plain eaves band to the south side of the nave and chancel.

The church comprises a western tower, nave and chancel with a continuous north aisle chapel and vestry, and a south porch. The 15th-century two-stage tower has stepped diagonal buttresses rising to eaves level at all corners. The west elevation features a three-light four-centred arched window in a deep recess with returned hoodmould. Above this is a small staircase window, and in the second stage sits a two-light louvred bell opening with cusped Y-tracery set in a deep pointed surround with returned hoodmould. Similar bell openings appear on the other sides, with a clock face over the eastern one. A moulded string course with central gargoyles runs above, topped by embattled parapets with ridgeback copings.

The north aisle has a flat-headed three-light 16th-century west window with four-centred arched lights, incised spandrels and returned hoodmould. To its south is a small four-centred arched door, and to its north are clasping buttresses. The north elevation displays a moulded four-centred arched doorcase with incised spandrels and returned hoodmould to the west, and to the east, two flat-headed three-light windows matching the west window of the aisle. Further east, a stepped buttress marks the beginning of the north chapel, which contains two three-light cavetto-moulded flat-headed windows with cusped lights set in deep cavetto-moulded surrounds; the westernmost is partly blocked to the base. Beyond this stands the 19th-century vestry, featuring a four-centred arched northern doorcase similar to the western one, and a recessed and chamfered east window with cusped iron tracery.

The chancel's east elevation has a central three-light cavetto-moulded window with stepped four-centred arched lights set in a triangular-headed recess, with gableted buttresses at either corner. Above the central window on each side are single-light recessed and chamfered 17th-century windows with four-centred arched lights. The south elevation of the chancel contains three two-light cavetto-moulded mullion windows with four-centred arched lights and incised spandrels set in flat-headed cavetto-moulded recesses; the westernmost is lower than the other two. Between the windows stand two gableted buttresses, and a small chamfered four-centred arched door with incised spandrels occupies the central section. Further west, the nave displays two three-light panel tracery windows in deep cavetto surrounds with hoodmoulds, each flanked by stepped buttresses. The 1882 south porch, to the west, has a moulded pointed doorcase flanked by diagonal buttresses. Above the porch is a 17th-century recessed and chamfered clerestory window with leaded lights. The inner doorcase is 12th-century with a semicircular head and features a fine panelled Jacobean door with shell motif.

Interior

The interior contains a three-bay north arcade. The two western bays are 12th-century with semicircular arches on columns bearing scalloped capitals, whilst the eastern bay features a tall double-chamfered pointed arch resting on a 12th-century respond to the east. The chancel arch is 19th-century, spanning the full width of the chancel with soffit moulding on columnar corbels. A similar 19th-century arch opens through to the north chapel from the aisle, and another from the chancel to the north chapel. To the east of the latter is a lower four-centred arch, possibly of the early 19th century, which opens from the chancel to the chapel and serves as a canopy to the tomb of Sir John Port, featuring cusped panelling to the soffit and a seat to the west side. The tower contains a tall, double-chamfered 15th-century arch, to the south side of which projects a staircase.

All roofs are 19th-century; that over the nave features pierced cusped panelling filling the trusses. The nave pews, choir stalls, altar and reredos are all early 20th-century, with chancel furniture ornamented with cusped panelling. The north chapel houses a splendid set of 1635 stalls and pulpit, provided for the almsmen, with semi-circular-headed panels and strapwork friezes above the seats. The pulpit is in a similar style and is dated 1635. The east end of the north chapel contains a flat-headed window with cusped lights opening into the north vestry, which is executed in Strawberry Gothic style. The vestry features ogee-headed doors with flame finials to the architraves, foliage bosses to the ribbed ceiling, and Gothic-style wall memorials to two members of the Cotton family.

The nave contains a white marble octagonal pulpit with coloured marble columns and a 15th-century octagonal font with an 18th-century pine cover. An unusual 13th-century stone lectern is built into the north wall of the chancel, and small arched piscinas flank either side of the altar.

Monuments

The church contains numerous monuments, including many to the Port family. On the south side of the chancel is the tomb niche of Sir John Port, who died in 1557, featuring brasses to the family on the back of the flat-headed niche and a finely carved frieze above and base below. Adjacent to the east is a marble slab with an incised Latin inscription dated 1698 to Johannis Jacton, and to the west lies a similar slab set into the wall, bearing an incised figure of a lord and lady with a Latin inscription to the edge, dated 1503. On the north side of the chancel is a similar slab with its brass missing. Two classical slate and marble wall memorials are also present: one to Mary Mainwaring of 1741 and the other to Rebecca Beer of 1829.

Between the chancel and chapel to the west stands the tomb of another Sir John Port, who died in 1541. His effigy, flanked by those of his wives, is carved in sunken relief with a raised border and central band across their figures. The canopy has carved spandrels, an embattled frieze above and painted coats of arms.

The north chapel contains another 16th-century marble slab set into the wall with a Latin inscription to the edge; above this is an early 19th-century wall memorial with a relief arcade and scrolls, dedicated to Elizabeth Cotton and Joseph Green. Another memorial to the Cotton family in the north aisle displays a hawk crest. Both the aisle and nave contain several further slate and marble memorials, the most notable being that to Jacob Cheetham of circa 1740, which features a flat obelisk top and Latin inscription.

Four undated hatchments hang above the arcade, with one dated 1805 above the tower arch. A small painted charity plaque appears to the north of the tower arch, and the chapel displays two painted coats of arms in cartouches.

The stained glass windows date from the mid or late 19th century, with the possible exception of shields in the windows of the north chapel.