Church Of St Mary

This major parish church represents one of the most important examples of Anglo-Saxon architecture in the country, with building phases spanning from circa 1034-49 through to the 20th century. The principal construction periods are circa 1034-49, circa 1090, circa 1150, circa 1170, 13th century, and early 15th century, with restorations to the chancel in 1850-2 and to the remainder in 1864-7, both by J. L. Pearson, and further work in 1983.

Construction and Materials

The church is built of uncoursed and coursed limestone rubble and limestone ashlar, with lead roofs featuring stone coped gables and cross finials of various designs. Some slate is also used. The building comprises a nave, north-west vestry, north stair turret, north and south transepts, crossing tower, and rectangular chancel.

West Front and Nave Exterior

The mid-12th century nave has a 12th and 19th century west front with a plinth and flanking pilaster buttresses. Steps lead up to a partially restored central 12th century doorway of four orders. The inner jambs are rectangular, with three shafts on each side, the central shafts decorated with chevron. The capitals are scalloped cushion type with geometric decoration and abaci above. The round head features two chevroned inner orders, a roll moulded order, and a chevroned outer order, with plank doors. To the north is an early 15th century pointed niche with cusping. Above are two pointed 19th century lights set in 19th century rubble that fills a large 14th century opening. A 12th century flat string course runs above, with an upper oculus.

The north side of the nave has a plinth and flat string course running over a corner pilaster buttress. A round headed window sits immediately above the string course to the east, with a pilaster buttress just beyond. Below the string course to the east is a 20th century lean-to vestry with two re-set windows on its east side—one pointed, one round headed—and a coal-hole door below. The north side of the vestry has double glazed doors and three lights to the east with pointed heads. Above the vestry is a 12th century round headed window, with a 12th century stair turret to the east. This turret was removed in the 19th century from its original position against the north-west jamb of the interior crossing arch. The turret has a 19th century string course, quoins and pyramidal slate roof, with four Anglo-Saxon round and round headed lights re-set on the north and west sides.

North Transept

The north transept has lower levels dating from circa 1034-49 and upper levels from 1090. It has a stepped plinth. The west side features a tall, pointed mid-13th century window of two pointed lights with a quatrefoil above and hood mould, with slab quoins. The north side has a narrow window with massive through stone jambs and rectangular head, with a 12th century oculus above. The gable is coped with a 19th century cross finial decorated with interlace. The east side has a tall, pointed mid-13th century window of two pointed lights with a quatrefoil above and hood mould. In the corner where the chancel meets the transept, the corner of the 11th century chancel projects, bonded into the transept wall with slab quoins.

Chancel Exterior

The north side of the later 12th century chancel shows a clear masonry break from the 11th century work. A stepped plinth runs around the chancel. Four pilaster buttresses alternate with two tiers of three windows, restored in the 19th century. The three lower windows have round chevroned heads and nook shafts; the three upper windows are smaller and round headed. Above is a corbelled eaves and parapet.

The east end of the chancel has flanking pilaster buttresses. The wall and windows between were reconstructed in the 19th century, with a central pilaster running up to just below the gable. A single round headed window on each side has chevroned heads, nook shafts and cushion capitals. Single smaller round headed windows flank the pilaster above. In the gable, single oculi with cable decoration flank the pilaster.

The south side of the chancel mirrors the north, with four pilaster buttresses alternating with two tiers of three windows restored in the 19th century. The three lower windows have round chevroned heads and nook shafts; the three upper windows are small and round headed, with corbelled eaves and parapet above. In the corner where the chancel meets the transept, the corner of the 11th century chancel projects with slab quoins, bonded into the transept wall with a clean masonry break from the 12th century chancel.

South Transept

The lower levels of the south transept date from circa 1034-49, the upper levels from circa 1090. It has a stepped plinth with square and chamfered profiles, and slab quoins on the south-east and south-west corners. The east side has a small round headed opening with hood mould. To the south is a mid-13th century window of two lights with quatrefoil and hood mould. The south side has a narrow round headed light of circa 1090 with hood mould decorated with Jews' harp decoration. To the west is a tall early 13th century window of two pointed lights with plate traceried quatrefoil and hood mould. A 12th century oculus sits above. The west side has a single small narrow 12th century window with round head and hood mould featuring small monster head label stops.

South Side of Nave

The south side of the nave has three pilaster buttresses, the easternmost masking the join with the 11th century transept. A large mid-12th century doorway was partially restored in the 19th century. It has four orders with inner rectangular jambs with moulded profile, and three shafts on each side. The two outer shafts on each side have chevron decoration. The capitals are scalloped cushion type with geometric patterning above and scored abaci. The round head has five orders: the two inner orders with chevroned decoration, a third order roll moulded, a fourth order with complex chevron, and an outer order with double billet. The doors are planked. An 11th century stone coffin stands against the wall to the east.

A string course runs above the doorway with scallop decoration. Two round headed windows sit above, with a pilaster buttress to the west and another round headed window beyond. The string course continues and runs over the corner pilaster buttress.

Crossing Tower

The early 15th century crossing tower stands on 11th century foundations. Single narrow rectangular lights flank the steep pitched roofs rising against the tower. An 11th century round light is re-set in this position on the north side. Above is a string course, then bell openings on all four sides. Each bell opening has a pointed head with three pointed lights and vertical tracery above. A moulded eaves above features corner gargoyles and gargoyles in the centre of each face. Battlements rise above with ornate corner pinnacles and standing figures of the four Evangelists in the centre of each face.

Interior: Nave

The nave interior has a pointed north doorway with plank doors and 17th century lintel. A small pointed aumbry sits to the east. The nave roof is a 17th century tie beam structure inscribed 1685.

Interior: Crossing

The crossing is large—35 feet square—with masonry up to impost level dating from circa 1034-49, while the heads of the crossing arches and above date from circa 1090. Signs of fire damage are visible on the earlier masonry. Four piers stand on massive plinths of one square and four chamfered stages. Each jamb is decorated with a single pilaster strip and half shafts with crude bases. The outer arches of the crossing have round moulded heads; the outer order of the western arch has Jews' harp decoration. The inner face of the crossing has 12th century pointed, moulded arches supported on 12th century massive polygonal piers on tall, chamfered stepped plinths, inserted into the 11th century corners of the crossing.

Interior: North Transept

The north transept has a narrow west doorway of circa 1034-49 leading into the 20th century vestry, with non-radial voussoirs, chamfered imposts and long and short quoins running through the thickness of the wall. To the north of the west window of the north transept, the remnant of an 11th century window jamb with quoining is exposed. The east wall has an ornate niche heavily restored in the 19th century, containing a remnant of early 13th century wall painting of the murder of Thomas Becket, consisting of bishop's robes. To the east of the outer north transept arch, a rectangular opening was inserted with steps leading to a rood screen no longer extant. Two corbel heads of musicians and two smaller plain corbels are present in the north transept. The floor is paved with various 18th century gravestones.

Interior: South Transept

The south transept has three corbel heads, two wearing hats. The floor is paved with various 18th century gravestones.

Interior: Chancel

The chancel of circa 1170 was heavily restored in the 19th century. Quadrapartite rib vaults of three bays with chevroned ribs and ball flower decoration were rebuilt in the 19th century. The vaults are supported on corbel heads to the west and tripartite responds to the east with scalloped or beaded cushion capitals, decorated bases and abaci running into a string course on the wall. A wall arcade runs around the north, east and south walls with plain shafts mostly replaced in the 19th century, round heads with rich chevron and ball flower decoration, and cushion capitals with various decorations. The windows above have surrounds decorated with chevron and key pattern.

The east end was rebuilt in the 19th century with a scalloped string course above the wall arcade and another above the lower windows, which continues over the north and south walls. The upper windows are plain except for the south east window, which has nook shafts and a roll moulded head.

Fittings and Monuments

The nave contains a monument on the south wall to Thomas Holbeach, who died in 1591, made of stone with coat of arms and scrolls. A 17th century polygonal pulpit with decorative panels was restored in 1877. Six pews incorporate 14th century bench ends with cusped tracery and flower heads.

A 15th century octagonal stone font has each side decorated with a single motif: a green man, serpent, star of David and flower heads. The bowl is supported on a cluster of shafts with foliate capitals, with a face and foliate motif in the north-east and south-east corners, and a long tailed dragon stretching between the north-west and south-west corners.

Two 16th century chests are in the nave. An ornate 16th century chest and a fragment of the base of a small shaft are in the north transept. A 14th century lectern in the south transept has cusped tracery, flower heads and ornate finials. A highly ornate 17th century chair has arms and a back decorated with daisy heads and swirling leaves. A 14th century fragmentary tombstone with ornate cross inscribed, and other ornate fragments, are also present.

A monument of metal to Richard Burgh, who died circa 1616, is on the north-east pier of the crossing. Two coffin lids in the chancel floor, probably 13th century, both show faces and hands clasped in prayer viewed through round openings. That on the south side has an inscription: "Alle men that ben in lif, prai for Emme was Fuk wif."

Historical Note

The dating of the earlier building campaigns is controversial. This church represents one of the major examples of Anglo-Saxon architecture in the country.