Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary began as a chapel to a Gilbertine Priory and is now the parish church of North Cockerington. It dates from the 12th century, with significant additions and alterations around 1300, the 14th century, and the 19th century. The church is constructed of greenstone, ironstone, and limestone rubble with limestone ashlar detailing, some brick patching, and areas of render. The roofs are slate and lead, with a stone-coped east gable.

The church comprises a south-west tower, a nave with a south aisle, and a chancel. The 19th-century south-west tower features a rendered plinth. It has single lancet windows to the west and south, each with a hood mould. The bell openings are pointed and have wooden Y tracery and hood moulds, with label stops on the west and east sides. Corner pinnacles adorn the parapet.

To the north, at ground level with the tower, is the west end of the nave, dating to around 1300, featuring a pointed window with three lights, intersecting tracery, and a hood mould. The north side of the nave has brick patching and a pointed window of around 1300 with three pointed lights, intersecting tracery, and a hood mould. A small, blocked 12th-century round-headed window is present on the north side of the chancel, with some moulded decoration to the left and a scalloped band above. The 19th-century east window has a segmental head with three cusped, pointed lights and hood moulds. The south side of the chancel includes a 19th-century rectangular window with three cusped, ogee-headed lights and a hood mould. An opening to the west is blocked with brick. The east side of the south aisle has a 19th-century window with three cusped, ogee-headed lights and a hood mould; earlier ironstone quoins denote the point where the aisle was added. The south aisle's south side has a plinth and a 19th-century rectangular window with three cusped, ogee-headed lights and a hood mould. A doorway to the west has a pointed head, a chamfered surround, and a plank door. An interior doorway leading to the tower features a pointed head, a chamfered surround, and a plank door.

Inside, the late 12th-century south arcade has two bays with a round pier with a square abacus, corbelled responds, and double chamfered, pointed heads. A painted inscription is situated above. The 14th-century chancel arch was restored in the 19th century and has a pointed, double chamfered head, with the outer order blending into rectangular jambs and the inner order supported on 19th-century head corbels; a painted inscription appears above this. A plain 13th-century octagonal font sits on a tall octagonal base. The church contains 18th-century box pews. A fragmentary medieval stone coffin rests in the south aisle, along with the torso of a 14th-century effigy of a knight, depicted with a long-tailed lion at its feet. Several other fragments of medieval architectural detailing and mouldings are also present. 20th-century pews, a pulpit, and choir stalls have been added. The church has 19th-century roofs.