Church Of St Helen

Parish church of 13th, 14th and 15th century date, restored in 1849 by J. L. Pearson. Built in coursed limestone rubble and blue lias rubble with limestone ashlar dressings. Plain tiled roofs with coped gables and cross finials.

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

The 15th-century west tower rises in four stages with plinth and angle buttresses. The west face displays a large pointed window with deeply moulded surround containing three cusped lights with pointed and vertical tracery above, topped by a hood mould with north head label stop. A clock sits above this window. Small rectangular staircase lights occupy the south side of the west front. The north and south sides of the tower contain small single rectangular lights positioned below the bell stage string course. Bell openings on all four sides feature pointed heads, each with two cusped pointed openings, vertical tracery and hood moulds. Above these runs a moulded eaves with two projecting animal gargoyles on both north and south sides. The tower is finished with battlements and eight ornate pinnacles.

The large early 14th-century north aisle has a heavily moulded plinth, battlements and eight ornate pinnacles. Its west window has a pointed head with moulded surround and two ogee-headed cusped lights decorated with quatrefoil and mouchettes. A large two-stage diagonal buttress supports the wall. The north side is punctuated by two rectangular windows, each containing three cusped ogee-headed lights with vertical tracery, alternating with two-stage buttresses. At the east end of the north aisle is a large pointed window with moulded surround, three cusped lights and tracery.

The east end of the chancel displays two 19th-century ashlar-dressed lancets with continuous hood moulds and a large cusped oculus above. The south side of the chancel retains a small pointed early 13th-century window with two pointed lights and plate tracery.

The 19th-century south transept features a small turreted bulge at the corner where aisle and transept meet. The south side of the transept has a pointed two-light window with cusped oculus and hood mould.

The south side of the nave contains two pointed 14th-century windows, partly restored in the 19th century, each with two pointed cusped lights, quatrefoil, hood mould and head label stops.

The south porch was restored in the 19th century and retains a large 14th-century ogee-headed doorway with ornate cusping, double chamfered jambs, hood mould and ornate finial. Inside the porch are stone benches flanking a 19th-century pointed doorway with moulded head and jambs containing ball flower ornament, hood mould, ornate label stops and a plank door.

Interior features include a 13th-century tower arch with a large pointed chamfered head supported on large keeled responds with keeled capitals. An early 13th-century north arcade of two bays has double chamfered pointed heads on an octagonal pier with polygonal responds. The 19th-century chancel arch has a moulded pointed head with responds containing three clustered shafts with shaft rings. A 13th-century arch to the south transept was reopened in the 19th century; it has a double chamfered pointed head supported on ornate corbels including lion and human heads. A small 19th-century cusped ogee-headed doorway with chamfered surround opens to the east.

A 13th-century aumbry leading from the chancel to the north aisle has a double chamfered pointed head with inner order supported on large corbel heads. Adjacent doorways feature a Caernarvon head to the north and cusped ogee head to the south. A rectangular aumbry occupies the north wall of the chancel. The east window of the chancel displays 19th-century nook shafts, shaft rings and chipstar decoration.

A 13th-century pointed piscina survives in the south wall of the chancel. The church contains a large cross-legged effigy of Sir Ralph Trehampton, circa 1300, repainted in the 20th century. A 14th-century piscina on the east wall of the north aisle has an ogee cusped head and corbel above, which supports a large 19th-century angel.

The east window of the north aisle contains stained glass of circa 1330 with fragmentary crucifixion, Bishop Grosseteste, various heads and architectural features.

19th-century fittings include pews, wagon roofs, font, lectern, altar rails and chairs. A 20th-century ornate screen is also present.

Monuments include one on the north wall of the north aisle to Mary Anderson, died 1636, in black and white marble with gold leaf, featuring a cartouche with coat of arms, broken pediment, flowered bands and ornate apron. Two similar grey and white marble monuments flank this, dedicated to Sir William Anderson, died 1785 and Lady Anderson, died 1798. Further east is a black and white triangular marble monument with urn to Catherine Shuldham, died 1797. A memorial on the south pier commemorates Francis Anderson, died 1881 and includes a map showing the position of his burial at sea near the Ascension Islands. Several 19th-century monuments are also present.