Church Of St Mary

Church of St Mary, Cotesbach

This parish church dates from the 14th and 15th centuries, underwent substantial rebuilding around 1700, and was extensively restored and rendered with stucco in 1812. The building is constructed mostly of rendered cobblestone and brick, with areas of stucco imitating ashlar, limestone rubble to the tower, and sandstone buttresses. The roofs are lead. The church comprises a south tower, nave with south porch, north aisle, and chancel, with a continuous plinth throughout. Coped parapets and gables feature kneelers, and buttresses have set-offs.

All windows were restored in the 19th century. The west wall displays exposed 18th-century brickwork and a chamfered pointed-arch three-light window with reticulated tracery and hoodmould. The north aisle west wall has a small chamfered pointed-arch single-light window with hoodmould and a diagonal buttress at the north-west corner. The north wall includes a blocked round-arched doorway with hoodmould, a late 19th-century stone memorial cross, a chamfered pointed-arch single-light window with hoodmould, and a diagonal buttress at the north-east corner. The east wall contains a chamfered pointed-arch two-light window with hoodmould. The south nave wall has three two-light clerestory windows with chamfered square frames and hoodmoulds. The south porch features a plain doorway with 19th-century double gates, while the roof inside contains 15th-century moulded beams. A chamfered pointed-arch south doorway has a 19th-century four-panel door, with a buttress to the west and a two-light window to the east.

The two-stage tower has four string courses and a coped parapet. Blank windows with pointed arches occupy the corners. The south elevation displays a small chamfered loop-hole with a 20th-century clock face above in the lower stage. The second stage on all elevations features chamfered pointed-arch single-light louvred bell-openings with hoodmoulds. The date 1812 is inscribed below the parapet on the north elevation.

The chancel has a continuous string-course. Its north wall contains two buttresses and a chamfered ogee-arched two-light window with hoodmould between them. The south wall comprises a buttress, a priest's doorway with chamfered four-centred arch, hoodmould and plank door, a chamfered ogee-arched two-light window with hoodmould, and another buttress. The east wall features a gable with cross finial and a chamfered pointed-arch three-light window with reticulated tracery and hoodmould, flanked by buttresses on either side.

The interior contains a two-bay arcade with double-chamfered pointed arches supported by keeled responds with moulded capitals and bases. Two arches form the crossing between the nave and chancel, both double-chamfered with responds featuring moulded capitals and bases. The crossing includes a Caernarvon arch tower doorway to the south. The chancel features a continuous string-course, a moulded four-centred arch doorway in the south wall, and a four-centred arch piscina in the south-east corner. A 19th-century wooden traceried reredos stands behind the altar. 18th-century barleysugar twist altar rails, an 18th-century panelled octagonal pulpit, and 19th-century altar, lectern, pews, stalls, and organ are present. Fifteen 19th-century candleholders with stylised brass leaves are fitted to the pews. A 19th-century drum font with square base and stepped lid completes the furnishings.

Monuments include a marble wall memorial on the north wall of the crossing to Elizabeth Marriott (died 1819), with above it a marble memorial to Reverend Robert Marriott (died 1008). A marble wall memorial on the north wall of the north aisle commemorates Caroline Marriott (died 1811). A late 19th-century memorial cross occupies the blocked round-arched doorway on this wall. A First World War memorial brass plaque is mounted on the south wall of the crossing. The 19th-century roofs and stone-flagged floors complete the interior.