Church Of St Guthlac, Little Cowarne

The Church of St Guthlac is a small, rural Anglican church with origins in the 12th and 13th centuries, though it was heavily restored in 1870 by F.R. Kempson. A west tower and a south porch were added in 1911. The construction combines rubble masonry in the chancel and nave, squared rubble for the tower, freestone dressings, and slate roofs. The church includes a nave, chancel, west tower, and a southwest porch.

The unbuttressed chancel has a three-light, 19th-century plate-traceried east window. A round-headed window from the 12th century, believed to have been re-set, is located on the north wall; the south wall has a two-light window with uncusped lights. The unbuttressed nave's north wall features a blocked arched doorway and two likely 19th-century round-headed windows. The south nave wall has a two-light window with trefoil-headed lights. A gabled south porch features a double-chamfered outer doorway and a simple arched inner doorway.

Inside, the internal walls are plastered and painted. A chamfered chancel arch rests on moulded stone corbels. The chancel has a common rafter, scissor-braced roof with ashlar pieces, a wallplate decorated with toothed detailing, pierced stars and trefoils, and diagonal boarding behind the timbers. A similar roof sits above the nave, incorporating a low collar. A tall, thin, chamfered tower arch defines the west end. The chancel includes a plain piscina, aumbry and is floored with 19th-century encaustic tiles. Rustic choir stalls are present, along with a substantial polygonal stone pulpit on a square base, with carved symbols in trefoil-headed arches. The font has a deep, plain bowl on a square, circular stem with a moulded foot; it’s likely 19th century, although the circular base might be medieval. 19th-century benches incorporate three distinct designs, all with prominent tusk tenon fixings used as decorative elements. The 19th-century glass includes grisaille and a figure in the west window.

The church is designated Grade II because of its modest scale and medieval origins, despite significant 1870 restoration. The fittings are not considered particularly outstanding.