Church Of St Helen

The Church of St. Helen is a parish church that has evolved through several phases of building from the 13th century onwards. The nave was altered in the 18th century, the spire was removed in 1772, a new chancel was built in 1846, a south porch was added in 1854, and restoration work was undertaken in 1866 by W. Smith. Further restoration of the nave occurred in 1985 following a fire. The church is constructed from random granite rubble with stone dressings and slate roofs.

The west tower is unbuttressed and has three stages, featuring a chamfered plinth, moulded string courses, a coved eaves band, and a restored crenellated parapet with crocketed pinnacles. The second stage has a 14th-century Decorated double lancet window. The third stage contains four cusped double lancet bell openings dating from the 19th century, with Y tracery and chamfered reveals. The three-bay nave has a chamfered plinth, moulded eaves cornice, plain parapet, and moulded coped gable. The north side features four buttresses, with a 15th-century chamfered doorway flanked by restored 15th-century triple lancet windows with panel tracery, moulded reveals, and hood moulds. The south side mirrors this fenestration, with the central window having a hood mould with mask stops. A 19th-century vestry has coped gables, and a Decorated-style double lancet window with a hood mould and stops. The unbuttressed two-bay chancel has a coped east gable with a cross and a Geometrical triple lancet window at the east end with moulded reveals and a hood mould with mask stops. A pointed doorway with a hood mould and mask stops is located on the south side, alongside a Perpendicular-style double lancet with ogee heads. The south porch has a chamfered plinth, coped gable with kneelers and a cross, and a 13th-century style moulded doorway with a hood mould and mask stops.

Inside, the church contains stone benches and a scissor-braced roof. A restored 15th-century five-centred arched doorway leads to the tower, with a 20th-century glazed screen at the top of the tower arch, which has a rebate, roll moulding, and hood mould. The west window contains memorial stained glass from 1867, and the southeast window features stained glass by H. Hughes from 1870. A kingpost roof is supported by wall posts on corbels. The vestry has a pointed aumbry in the east wall. The chancel is separated by a double chamfered and rebated arch with half-octagonal responds. A 20th-century wooden screen is set within a segmental pointed opening on the north side. Another stained-glass window by H. Hughes dates from 1878. The 1985 roof is scissor braced with wall posts on corbels.

Furnishings include a 19th-century octagonal font with a textual inscription, a traceried octagonal pulpit and sounding board, pews, and an early 19th-century organ in a Gothic case. An eagle lectern from 1903, two 19th-century commandment boards, and several memorials, including a large marble and slate tablet (1839), a granite tablet with a figure (1917), a marble tablet (1915), and four brasses (19th and 20th centuries) are also present.