Church Of St Mary

Church of St Mary

Parish church with origins in the late 13th century, refurbished in the mid 14th century, with an octagonal spire probably added around 1763, possibly by Capability Brown. The structure was heavily restored in 1848 by Willson. Built of coursed ironstone and limestone rubble with limestone ashlar dressings and slate roofs.

The church comprises a west tower, nave with north and south aisles, south porch, chancel, and north chapel. A plinth runs around the entire building.

The west tower dates from the late 13th century and was refurbished in the mid 14th century, though heavily restored in the 19th century. It features two-stage diagonal buttresses. The west doorway is a 19th-century addition with pointed head, moulded surround in one, hood mould, and plank door. On the south side is a late 13th-century key window. The bell stage is recessed with a lower lancet on the north side having a chamfered surround and a clock on the south side. Bell openings on all four sides above consist of pointed openings with paired, cusped ogee-headed lights with reticulated quatrefoil and hood moulds. Moulded eaves with spouts and large corner gargoyles support battlements above, which have corner cross finials. The recessed octagonal spire, probably of 1763 by Capability Brown, features an east doorway with ogee-finalled head and plank door, three tiers of lucarnes with ogee-finalled heads, and a weather vane.

The west side of the north aisle contains a single window with flattened triangular head and two cusped ogee-headed lights with trefoil and hood mould, with parapet above and a two-stage diagonal buttress. The north side of the aisle has a 19th-century pointed doorway to the west with chamfered head, late 13th-century chamfered jambs, and hood mould. Three two-stage buttresses to the east alternate with two windows, both with flattened triangular heads, three cusped ogee lights, and mouchettes. Moulded eaves and battlements run above.

The north chapel has four two-stage buttresses alternating with three 19th-century windows, each with flattened triangular head, two cusped ogee-headed lights with trefoils, hood moulds with label stops, and moulded eaves and battlements above. The east end of the north chapel contains a single 19th-century window with flattened triangular head, three cusped ogee-headed lights with trefoils, hood mould and label stops, and a battlemented gable above with cross finial.

The east end of the chancel has a single 19th-century window with flattened triangular head, three cusped ogee-headed lights, hood mould and label stops, and a gabled parapet above with cross finial. The south side of the chancel has three two-stage buttresses alternating with two 19th-century rectangular windows, each of three ogee-headed, cusped lights with rectangular hood mould and label stops. Moulded eaves and battlements run above.

The east end of the south aisle of the nave contains a single 19th-century window with flattened triangular head, two cusped ogee-headed lights, trefoil, hood mould and label stops, with parapet above and a diagonal two-stage buttress. The south side of the nave has two 19th-century windows, both with flattened triangular heads and three cusped ogee-headed lights, hood moulds and label stops, flanked by two-stage buttresses, with moulded eaves and battlements above.

The gabled south porch has mid 14th-century rectangular windows in its east and west sides, both with cusped reticulated tracery. The pointed south doorway features a deeply moulded surround, keeled hood mould, and ornate 19th-century label stops. The porch interior is flanked by stone benches and has a 19th-century south doorway with pointed head, richly moulded jambs in one, hood mould, ornate label stops, and plank doors. The west end of the south aisle has a single window with flattened triangular head, two cusped ogee-headed lights and hood mould, with parapet above.

Interior

An organ is set in the interior tower arch. The three-bay north and south arcades are mostly by Willson, with pointed, double-chamfered heads, octagonal piers, polygonal responds, and moulded capitals. A late 12th-century crocket capital has been re-set in the west wall by the north arcade respond. Late 13th-century corbel heads sit over the north and south doors. The heavily restored chancel arch dates from the mid to late 13th century, with pointed, double-chamfered head, a broad polygonal north respond, and a round filleted south respond with octagonal capital.

A 19th-century traceried screen occupies the space between the nave and chancel. A late 13th-century archway leads from the north aisle to the chapel with double-chamfered pointed head supported on corbels. 17th-century railings are present.

The south wall of the chancel contains a pointed late 13th-century piscina. A reredos dating from around 1918 is executed in green and beige marble with grape and vine leaf motifs. On the north side of the chancel, a pointed double-chamfered arcade bay is blocked with a doorway inserted having a round head, moulded architrave, scrolled keystone, and an inscription dated 1694. A 17th-century gateway is recorded.

The font is a 19th-century octagonal piece with cusped panels, individual motifs, and a tall, cusped open-work hood. The pews are 19th-century with finalled bench ends. A 19th-century octagonal pulpit features cusped traceried panels. The lectern, altar rail, and tie beam roofs are all 19th-century insertions.

Monuments and memorials extensively document the Heneage family. On the north wall of the chancel is a monument to John Heneage (died 1530) and his wives, featuring a Purbeck marble tomb chest with unusual cusped decoration. The back wall displays brass effigies of Heneage and his wives kneeling at a prie-dieu with inscriptions issuing from their mouths, beneath a low arch and cresting.

Also on the north wall of the chancel is a monument to Frances Heneage (died 1807) by Bacon Junior, executed in white marble with five children at play by an urn and their mother above with cherubs in the clouds. On the south side of the chancel is a grey and white marble monument to George Heneage (died 1833) by S. Manning, with urn and draperies.

The north chapel contains a tomb on its west wall to John Heneage (died 1559) and his wife Anne (died 1587), of stone with a table tomb bearing coats of arms below, and above, kneeling figures facing each other over a prie-dieu, he in armour and both wearing ruffs, flanked by fluted columns. Round-headed arches with raised keystones and rich cresting rise above.

On the south wall of the north chapel is a monument to Sir William Heneage (died 1610) and his two wives, Anne (died 1585) and Jane (died 1596), of pink-streaked and grey marble. Figures kneel before a prie-dieu, opposite each other, with two bearded sons and two daughters kneeling below. A large crest above features flanking scenes of Adam and Eve and the Resurrection.

A free-standing monument of pink, yellow-streaked, and grey marble with an alabaster recumbent effigy of Sir George Heneage (died 1595) features ornate strapwork and coats of arms on the tomb.

Brasses set in the floor to the south-west commemorate John Heneage (died 1435) and his wife Anna.

A monument by Bertuccini near the north doorway commemorates George Heneage (died 1731) in white marble with flanking winged skulls, cross bones and hour glasses, and an ornate apron with cartouche and upper garlanded urn with cherub. Another monument to George Heneage (died 1731) displays a large classical bust with his wives' busts below. Small marble monuments flank this, commemorating Mary (died 1717) and Elizabeth (died 1725).

On the east wall stands a tall grey and white monument to George Heneage (died 1864) with a weeping woman and draped urn. The north wall bears a white marble monument by Manning on a grey field to Frances Heneage (died 1842) with urn, wreath, and cherubs.

A black and white marble monument by Hoderwood of Campden Town on the west wall commemorates George Heneage (died 1698), Thomas Henry Heneage (died 1710), and George Fieschi Heneage (died 1864).