Church Of The Holy Cross

Church of the Holy Cross

This parish church dates principally from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries, with significant restorations undertaken in 1853 and 1879. It is constructed in ashlar with some render and red brick. The roof coverings include concrete pantiles to the nave and chancel, lead to the south aisle, and plain tiles to the porch and vestry. Coped gables crown the east chancel and east nave, which are further embellished with decorative ridge crosses. A single ashlar and brick stack rises from the north chancel.

The building comprises a tower with spire, nave, south aisle, south porch, north vestry and chancel. The diagonally buttressed and embattled 13th-century tower stands on a deep plinth with chamfered and moulded bands, rising through 2 stages marked by bands. Single gargoyles project from the centre of each side. The tower is topped with a 14th-century spire. The west side features a single arched 15th-century window set into a deep reveal, displaying 3 cinquefoil arched lights with cusped tracery, over which the tower band forms a continuous hood mould. The south wall contains a doorway with plank door and 3 small rectangular lights above. The 4 arched bell chamber openings each contain 2 arched trefoil lights with a single sexfoil over. Clock faces are positioned on the east and west sides below these openings.

The buttressed north nave stands on a chamfered plinth. It displays a single restored 14th-century arched 2-light window with reticulated tracery, hood mould and human head label stops. An arched 13th-century doorway with moulded above the nailhead decorated imposts and chamfered below sits to the left, with hood mould and human head label stops overhead. Further left are 2 restored 14th-century arched 2-light windows with reticulated tracery, hood moulds and label stops, the rightmost featuring human head label stops. The north vestry has a chamfered arched blocked doorway, with a flight of steps to its left leading down to a segmental arched doorway. The east vestry displays a single pair of restored trefoil arched lights under a flat arch. The east chancel contains a single restored arched window with 3 trefoil arched lights, hood mould and worn human head label stops. The south chancel has 2 restored trefoil arched lights with hood moulds and label stops. The east wall of the south aisle is buttressed, set on a plinth, and has a single restored 14th-century arched 2-light window with reticulated tracery, hood mould and label stops. The south wall has 2 similar restored 2-light windows with hood moulds and label stops. The angle buttressed south porch features a 13th-century arched entrance moulded above the nailhead decorated imposts and chamfered below, with hood mould and human head label stops overhead. The inner cavetto moulded arched doorway has imposts, hood mould and decorative label stops, with a 17th-century door on the interior side. To the left of the porch is a single similar restored 2-light window with hood mould and label stops. The shallow clerestory contains 2 trefoil lights.

Interior

The interior contains a 4-bay 13th-century nave arcade with double chamfered arches and quatrefoil piers with fillets. Moulded capitals alternate with stiff leaf decoration, the latter facing the nave and aisle. Circular responds with fillets and moulded capitals support the arcade. A tall double chamfered tower arch, restored in 1853, has broach stops. A restored double chamfered chancel arch rests on octagonal responds with moulded capitals. The altar table base features 17th-century decoration.

The south chancel contains a slate monument to Robertus Squire, dated 1701. A further monument to Christopheri Raleigh Seton, dated 1748, bears a cartouche surmounting the inscription and an additional memorial with shaped head containing a decorative shield. The monument to Elizabeth Hill, dated 1756, is surmounted by a pediment. A plaque to John Odingsells, dated 1655, is located in the south aisle. The rectangular plaque is surmounted by a decorative shield. A 14th-century reclining effigy is positioned adjacent the east wall. Several 13th-century floor slabs decorated with single crosses and numerous 17th and 18th-century floor slabs remain in the church. A circular ashlar font is present. The single central north nave and east windows date from 1908 and were produced by E. R. Suffling of London.