Church Of St Mary

Church of St Mary

Parish church rebuilt on the site of an earlier church in 1830 by L Johnson and enlarged in 1884 by Lloyd Oswald. The building is constructed of squared and rock-faced sandstone with sandstone dressings and a Welsh slate roof. It comprises a west tower, two-bay nave, one-bay chancel, vestry and organ chamber.

The west tower is embattled above a corbel table and has three stages divided by strings. The top stage contains a pair of chamfered lancets to each face. The middle stage has one central lancet to each face except the east. The entry is positioned on the south side beneath a two-centred arch with stepped lancets above the lintel of the doors.

On the north side of the tower is a rock-faced late 19th-century gabled vestry with a pair of north-facing trefoil-headed lights and a west doorway above whose lintel is carved scalloping. The organ chamber, located over a cellar on the north side of the chancel, is similarly constructed of rock-faced sandstone and features the same type of trefoiled lights—one pair to the north and another to the east. Its west doorway is also similar to that of the vestry. A small ridge stack rises from the north gable.

The nave has a pair of two-light windows to each side, all four featuring pointed lights, quatrefoil tracery and moulded cills. The verge carries a gable cross and cresting along the ridge. The chancel has one trefoil-headed light to the north and a lancet to the south. The east window contains three stepped lancets within a two-centred arch with moulded label. Above the outer lancets is a pair of oculi in plate tracery. The cill is moulded with foliated ends. The verge and cresting match those of the nave, with a stump of gable cross.

The interior contains a stained glass window inscribed "DARE QUAM....." in the north wall of the tower, now obscured from light by the later vestry. On the same wall are wall monuments from the earlier parish church. One in stone with slate plaque commemorates Henry Pearle, died 1670 "...at the English factory of Bantam", and features scrolls to the top, a shield-of-arms and an apron. Alongside is a monument to Elizabeth Jones, died 1744, with an oval slate inscription panel and stone Rococo cartouches to the margins. Beneath is a small corbel bracket in the form of an angel holding a book. On the west wall of the tower vestibule are monuments to John Whitmore, died 1768, Francis Brickenden, died 1838, and Ann Brickenden, died 183(?).

The roof of the nave has three trusses resting on corbels, each featuring swept braces, lower and upper collars. The upper collars are intersected by central posts rising from the lower collars to the ridge. The chancel has an open wagon roof. The chancel arch is two-centred with a moulded label returning outward as a string.

The stained glass east window depicts The Crucifixion and commemorates Caroline Horton, died 1878, Daniel Dimery, died 1877, and John Horton, died 1878. The north window depicts Christ with the inscription "I AM THE TRUE VINE / I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE". The south window shows Christ and the Children and is for Sybil Horton, died 1884, the infant daughter of Rev A W and Harriot Horton.

The furnishings include a 19th-century oak altar table with three trefoil-headed openings to the front. A pair of oak chairs, probably late 17th century, in Caroline style feature scrolled decoration to the back with twisted rails and stretchers. Oak Communion rails have twisted cast iron columns and wrought iron scrolls and crosses. Set in an arch on the north side beneath a hoodmould is a two-manual organ inscribed "BRINDLEY & FOSTER / 1887 SHEFFIELD" with exposed pipes, trefoiled and quatrefoiled panels and two swivelling brass sconces. In the organ chamber is a fireplace with a two-centred arch flanked by two oculi, resembling the style of the east window. A pine desk and bench with openwork trefoiled decoration and brass sconces are also present.

The nave is divided from the chancel by a low stone wall decorated with a row of small blind round-headed arches with battered cills. The wall rises to a stone plinth supporting a five-sided pine pulpit. Each side is decorated with two trefoil-headed openings above which are four rectangles and cresting. The pulpit carries a brass book-wedge and two brass candlesticks.

The font is probably 13th century, with a cylindrical stem on an octagonal base. The rounded bowl has convex sides and a trefoil-headed niche on the south side.

Stained glass in the easternmost window of the south side commemorates Mary Dimery, died 1896, and depicts Christ and St Peter. Nearby is a wall monument for Daniel Dimery, died 1877 and churchwarden for 57 years, in stone and white marble with neo-Egyptian acroteria and pediment. The opposite window is for W H S Horton, died 1895, and depicts Christ with his flock and as Light of the World.

A brass lectern with twisted shaft and two sconces is present, as is a small loop in the west wall beneath a triangular-headed surround, allowing sight from the middle stage of the tower.