Church Of St Mary The Virgin

Church of St Mary the Virgin

This is a parish church of 11th-century origin with significant additions and modifications from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. The building was substantially restored in 1873–4 by the architects Bodley and Garner, when the north aisle was rebuilt and extended. The tower was rebuilt in 1906. The church is constructed in ashlar and dressed coursed rubble, with lead and slate roofs. A single stack serves the north aisle. The tower, nave, aisles, south porch, north vestry and organ chamber, and chancel all feature embattled parapets and are buttressed throughout.

The tower is a dressed coursed rubble and ashlar structure of two stages on the north and west sides and three stages on the south and east, marked with bands. It has angle leading to a diagonal buttress on the north and angle buttresses to the south, set on a low chamfered plinth on the north and west. The west wall contains a fully restored chamfered arched doorway with a flush arch over, then a moulded arch and a further uncut arch, the moulded arch resting on imposts. Above this is a single 14th-century arched two-light window with cusped tracery, hood mould and label stops. A single clock face sits higher on the wall. The north and south walls each have two bays of 11th-century round-arched blind arcading extending the full height of the ground floor; the north side has been extensively restored. Above these are single 19th-century two-light windows with cusped tracery under flat arches. Each side of the bell chamber contains two arched 14th-century openings, each with two trefoil lights. The tower is topped with three 14th-century gargoyles.

The north aisle, with its parapet, sits on a low chamfered plinth. Its west wall has a single arched 19th-century four-light window with cusped tracery, hood mould and label stops. The north wall contains two two-light windows; the right is 19th-century with cusped panel tracery, whilst the left is a restored 15th-century window with cusped panel tracery, both under flat arches. Two further 14th-century gargoyles are present. The east wall features a single 15th-century arched five-light window with a single transom, with cusped lights above and below and cusped panel tracery. The 15th-century clerestory has three arched three-light windows, and two gargoyles are present on this elevation.

The chancel is set on a plinth that is moulded to the east and south, with a continuous band extending across the north wall. The east wall contains a single 19th-century five-light window with cusped tracery. On the south side is a single 14th-century window with two trefoil arched lights, tracery and a flat arch. To its left is an arched doorway with hood mould and human head label stops. Further to the left is a single 15th-century window with two cinque arched lights, panel tracery and a flat arch.

The east wall of the south aisle contains a single window of circa 1300 with an arched opening and two lights with Y tracery, hood mould and human head label stops. The south wall has two 19th-century arched two-light windows with cusped panel tracery and hood moulds; the right has two human head label stops and the left has a single remaining human head label stop. The south porch, with parapet, has a moulded arched entrance with hood mould and label stops. Above is a cinquefoil arched niche under a flat arch, with a continuous hood mould extending to the side walls. The west wall of the porch has a single small trefoil arched light. The inner entrance has a double-chamfered arched doorway topped by an 18th-century door with pointed arched panels. The west wall of the aisle contains a single window of circa 1300 with an arched opening and two lights with Y tracery and hood mould. The clerestory on this side corresponds to the north aisle.

Interior

The interior has three-bay nave arcades with double-chamfered arches. The 13th-century south arcade has circular columns and responds with moulded capitals, whilst the 14th-century north arcade (rebuilt in 1873 by Bodley and Garner) has octagonal columns and keeled responds with moulded capitals. An uncut 11th-century tower arch with imposts opens into the nave. A wood and glass screen with doorway separates the nave from the chancel. A double-chamfered chancel arch has its inner order supported on each side by 13th-century corbels; the north side is further supported by a single carved head. Herringbone masonry is visible to the east side of the chancel. A 19th-century traceried and painted screen is present, made by Bodley and Garner.

The north aisle and organ chamber are separated by a traceried and painted screen. A moulded arch with circular responds and moulded capitals connects the chancel to the north organ chamber. In the south chancel are sedilia with cinquefoil arches and hood moulds with finials. To the left is a trefoil arched piscina with coloured decorative stencilling above. In the south wall of the south aisle is an arched tomb recess and an arched piscina to its left.

Traceried and painted panelling lines the chancel and the east wall of the vestry, which features a decorative reredos. The organ is decorated with painted open tracery. Panelling extends to the north and south aisles and the west nave walls. The majority of furnishings are by Bodley and Garner, and include a carved pulpit with gilt decoration. A 19th-century octagonal font with canopy and a 19th-century cast-iron stove are present. A 16th-century wooden chest with carved panels is retained. The north aisle contains a large oil painting. Wall tablets commemorate Rev. Harcourt (1682), with an apron decorated with a skull and a scrolled pediment containing a shield; Rev. Williams (1813); and John Burnside (1864). An oval wall tablet in the north aisle commemorates Sarah Cole (1821). All roofs are decorated with coloured stencilled ornament by Bodley and Garner, and seven decorative iron candelabra are suspended throughout. Stained glass in the east chancel is reputedly by Burlison and Grylls, whilst that in the east wall of the north aisle is by Powell and Sons.