Church Of St Mary

Church of St Mary

This parish church is principally of the early 14th century, with the tower and clerestory added in the 15th century and the chancel raised in the 15th century. The aisles were rebuilt during restoration in 1893. The building is constructed of coursed and squared ironstone and limestone ashlar with ashlar dressings, beneath lead and slate roofs. The external walls are finished with chamfered sill bands and eaves, and the east gables are coped with kneelers and crosses.

The church comprises a west tower, nave with clerestory, north aisle, chancel, south aisle, and south porch.

The west tower rises in three stages and has a moulded plinth and sill band, with two string courses and four shallow clasp buttresses with setoffs. A lozenge frieze ornaments the tower, and the eaves are coved. Four gargoyles project from the angles, and the parapet is crenellated with four crocketed pinnacles at the corners. The first stage has a restored double lancet to the west. The second stage has a chamfered rectangular light to the west. The third stage has on each side a cusped double lancet bell opening with a quatrefoil head and hood mould.

The clerestory comprises three bays and has on each side three untraceried cusped double lancets with Tudor arched heads and hood moulds.

The north aisle has three bays, two diagonal buttresses, and an almost central pair of buttresses flanking a restored moulded 14th-century door. The east end has a restored ogee double lancet with flat head. The west end has an ogee double lancet with chamfered reveal and flat head. The east end also has a similar window with a coved reveal. All openings have hood moulds, mostly with mask stops.

The chancel comprises two bays and has a pair of diagonal buttresses at the east end, with setoffs. The north side has to the west a cusped transomed single lancet with hood mould. The east end has a 19th-century ogee five-light lancet with panel tracery, hood mould and mask stops. The south side has to the west a 14th-century ogee double lancet with flat head, and to the east an early 14th-century ogee double lancet, both with hood moulds.

The south aisle has three bays with two diagonal buttresses with setoffs. It contains two restored untraceried ogee double lancets. The east end has a 14th-century triple lancet with intersecting tracery. The west end has a panel traceried ogee double lancet. All lancets have hood moulds, mostly with mask stops.

The south porch has two flanking buttresses and a coped gable with cross. It contains a chamfered 14th-century doorway with octagonal responds and hood mould. Each side has a single unglazed ogee lancet.

The interior includes two stone benches in the porch and a 19th-century arch braced common rafter roof. The early 14th-century south doorway has shafts with fillet moulding and hood mould with mask stops, and a 19th-century door. The tower arch is double chamfered and rebated with hood mould and round responds. The tower chamber's west window contains 19th-century patterned glass.

The nave arcade has three bays of early 14th-century work. The north arcade has restored octagonal piers and responds with moulded bases and capitals. The south arcade has similar piers but with four filleted main shafts and four subsidiary shafts, plus octagonal responds. All have moulded bases and capitals. The arches are double chamfered and rebated with hood moulds.

The north aisle has a sill band and windows with patterned stained glass. At the east end is a plain aumbry. A 19th-century lean-to roof with arch braces covers the aisle.

The south aisle has a similar sill band and roof. The southeast end contains a square aumbry. The south side retains fragments of wall painting.

The chancel has a double chamfered and rebated arch with octagonal responds. The north side has an aumbry with heavily moulded surround to the east. The south side has an early 14th-century roll moulded aumbry. The roof is 19th-century panelled with arch braces and moulded wall shafts.

Fittings include four 16th-century benches with poppyheads, a 17th-century table, an 18th-century chest, and a 13th-century square font with a cross on each side on an octagonal stem. Later additions comprise a 19th-century brass eagle lectern, chairs, pulpit, and Royal Arms dated 1835. Memorials include a pedimented marble and slate tablet on brackets of 1711, an arch-top slate tablet of 1734, and a marble and slate war memorial tablet of 1919.