Church Of St. Mary

Church of St. Mary

Parish church with early origins dating to around 1175, with significant structural campaigns during the late 12th, early 13th, early 14th and 15th centuries. The chancel and associated work were substantially rebuilt in 1881-2 by architect C. Kirk. The building is constructed of limestone ashlar, ironstone ashlar, and coursed ironstone rubble, with slate roofs.

The church comprises a west tower and spire, nave with north and south aisles, south porch, rectangular chancel, and a small south-east chapel.

The tower is early 14th-century work in three stages of limestone ashlar and coursed ironstone rubble, with plinth, moulded string course, and three-stage angle buttresses. The west front, first stage, has a small deeply splayed light with hood mould and weathered head label stops. The south front first stage includes a small deeply splayed light flanked by corbels that once supported a roof over a south-west structure, now gone, and three stair turret lights in the west corner by the south-west buttress. The second stage features pointed windows on the west and south sides, each of two cusped lights with quatrefoil above and hood mould; west and east openings have two cusped ogee lights with three mouchettes, hood mould and head label stops. North and south bell openings each have two cusped ogee lights set within two cusped pointed lights. The broach spire carries two tiers of lucarnes in alternating directions, with alternating shields and grotesque heads between the tiers.

The early 14th-century north aisle is of ironstone with limestone dressings. It has a pointed west window of two lights with 19th-century tracery, and the north side features a small plinth and an early 14th-century moulded doorway. Two buttresses of two stages alternate with two three-light windows with intersecting tracery, all early 14th-century work, while a 19th-century angle buttress of single stage with two set-offs is also present. The east end of the north aisle has another early 14th-century three-light pointed window with intersecting tracery.

The chancel is of limestone ashlar, rebuilt in 1881-2. The south side has a plinth and moulded string course with two pairs of pointed lights having highly decorated shafts, capitals and label stops, flanked by buttresses each of single stage with two set-offs. A corbel table runs at the eaves. The east end has an ornate three-light window flanked by single-stage buttresses with two set-offs, and a coped gable with finial. The south side includes a pair of ornate lights and corbel table.

The south aisle is 15th-century work much restored in the 19th century, constructed of ironstone with limestone dressings. A 19th-century angle buttress of single stage with two set-offs is present. The moulded plinth is followed by a pointed window of two cusped lights with trefoils and mouchettes, restored in the 19th century. A small pointed doorway has plain hood mould. Two 19th-century buttresses of single stage with two set-offs alternate with two rectangular windows—the eastern of three lights and the western of two lights, both with reticulated tracery and both restored in the 19th century. Moulded eaves sit above.

The south porch is 15th-century work of ironstone with limestone bands, featuring a moulded plinth, string course and parapet. Diagonal buttresses of two stages flank the entrance. A four-centred moulded arch is surmounted by three ornate niches, and a coped gable with 19th-century crosses on the south-east and south-west corners. A 15th-century rectangular opening with single mullion occupies the west wall. The interior of the porch is flanked by stone benches. The south doorway is late 12th-century work restored in the 19th century, comprising two orders: the innermost of two shafts and the outer of single clusters of three shafts, with stiff-leaf capitals, filleted roll mouldings and head label stops. The porch roof incorporates 15th-century timber.

The west end of the south aisle has a single-stage 19th-century angle buttress with two set-offs and a large 15th-century projecting gargoyle. Fifteenth-century rectangular west windows with reticulated tracery have been completely restored in the 19th century.

Interior

The early 14th-century interior tower arch has triple responds and plainly moulded pointed arch with hood mould and head label stops. The four-bay south arcade dates to around 1175, featuring round piers and double-chamfered pointed arches; the south-westernmost capital retains some flat leaf carving. Two pierced almond-shaped openings are present in the spandrels, along with small heads. The north arcade dates to around 1200, with each pier of clustered shafts with fillets, moulded capitals and double-chamfered pointed arches; 19th-century heads appear in the spandrels. A small blocked pointed doorway occupies the south-east corner of the north aisle, with a remnant of a stiff-leaf corbel nearby. Ornate 19th-century corbels support the 19th-century nave and aisle roofs.

The ornate pointed chancel arch is of 1881-2, as is the contemporary round arch into the south chapel, both with polygonal abaci and very plain moulded jambs. The roof is supported by ornate corbels. An encaustic tiled floor is present. Windows are highly decorated internally.

The north wall of the chancel contains an aumbry of two pointed arches. Paired sedilia and piscina occupy the south wall. An ornate reredos of white and green marble is backed by an ornate arcaded east wall. Pulpit, lectern and choir stalls all date to 1881-2. Early 20th-century pews are present.

In the south chapel stands a large dresser tomb of pink and white marble with an alabaster recumbent figure of Sir Anthony Thorold (died June 1594), flanked by Corinthian columns. Backing onto it at the east end of the south aisle is another dresser tomb of stone and marble, with three shields in medallions below and a quatrefoil frieze above, of William Thorold (died 1569). An alabaster monument on the south wall commemorates Anne, Lady Hodgson (née Thorold, died 1719), featuring an ornate crown and apron with flanking Corinthianesque pilasters and draperies. A 19th-century stone-panelled font completes the interior fixtures.