Church Of St Mary

Church of St Mary

Parish church. Dating from circa 1200 with alterations probably in the mid-13th and 14th centuries. The building was restored between 1874 and 1878 by T H Wyatt, and again in 1884.

The church is constructed of sandstone rubble and tufa with dressings of the same materials. It has plain tiled roofs with decorative ridge tiles and gable-end cross finials. The spire is shingled. The plan consists of a west tower, a four-bay nave with north transept and south porch, and a three-bay chancel.

West Tower: The tower dates from the 14th century and was restored in 1884 when the belfry stage was rebuilt. It has two stages (divided into three storeys internally) with an ashlar sill band to the belfry stage. The lower stage features a cusped lancet in the west elevation and an ogee-arched light in the north and south elevations. The belfry stage has two-light louvred bell-chamber openings. Above rises a splay-footed spire with a finial and weathervane.

Nave: The nave dates from the 13th century or earlier. The north elevation contains a pair of 19th-century cusped lancets and a blocked pointed doorway at its western end. The easternmost two bays are adjoined by the north transept, which was built in 1874. This is gabled with three stepped cusped lancets beneath a hoodmould with returns at its north gable end. Cusped lancets appear in each side elevation, and a lean-to addition with a north doorway occupies the western angle. The south elevation has a shallow pilaster buttress at the western end and three cusped lancets, all 19th century except for parts of the jambs.

South Porch: This late 14th-century addition is gabled and timber-framed on a sandstone base. The outer archway features heavy wall-posts, a chamfered arch-braced tie-beam with a shaped central strut, cusped principals, and bargeboards with traceried panelling. The inner archway is formed by a simpler arch-braced tie-beam truss with a V-strut. The two-bay roof has run-out stop chamfered purlins and cusped wind-braces. The upper parts of the side elevations have four-light chamfered mullioned openings, the outer ones boarded and the central two fitted with leaded lights. The 14th-century south doorway has chamfered jambs and a two-centred head.

Chancel: At the east end are two restored round-headed windows of circa 1200, and a circular window in the gable apex enclosing a 19th-century quatrefoil. The north elevation has a 19th-century buttress with offsets and three lancets of circa 1200. The south elevation has a 19th-century buttress with offsets at the eastern end, three similar windows (one of which is 19th century), and an original restored doorway with chamfered jambs and a two-centred head.

Interior: A narrow tower arch with a pointed head opens to a wide 19th-century pointed archway of two chamfered orders leading into the north transept, which has semi-circular responds. The chancel roof is probably 14th century and comprises three king-post trusses with added mouldings and struts to the tie-beams. The nave has a 19th-century ashlared collar rafter-roof. The chancel features a stepped sill string.

Fittings and Furnishings: The chancel contains a 15th-century moulded stone shelf, an early 14th-century chamfered piscina with a multi-cusped head, and some late 17th-century panelling behind the altar. The font is 12th century, circular on a short circular stem with the upper face chamfered to form an octagon, cable moulded necking above, and an incised chevron motif. The 19th-century pulpit incorporates two sides of late 17th-century panelling with a moulded cornice on moulded corbels and blind arcading between engaged columns. In the vestry in the west tower is a late 17th-century altar table with turned legs.

Memorials: The chancel contains a memorial to Oliver Hughes (died 1671) with an open segmental pediment, scrolled border and coat of arms. Six further memorials stand at the west end of the nave, mainly of late 18th and early 19th-century date, one of which has a husk border.