Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a complex structure primarily dating from the 1844-45 rebuilding by Scott and Moffatt, although it incorporates a 15th-century tower. A north aisle was added in 1898, designed by JO Scott and reusing windows from the earlier build. The church is constructed of ashlar with tile roofs, and demonstrates Norman Revival style, with Early English detailing to the chancel and Perpendicular elements in the tower.

The exterior presents a two-bay chancel, a gabled north vestry, a four-bay nave and north aisle, a west tower, and a gabled south porch, all with coped gables and crosses. The chancel’s east side features a triplet of lancet windows. South-facing windows are single-chamfered lancets. The vestry has a two-light east window with Decorated tracery, and the nave has shallow and clasping buttresses along with a Lombard frieze to the cornice. Round-headed windows feature nook shafts and zig-zag moulding. The south porch has clasping buttresses and a richly moulded doorway with strap hinges. The west tower has a two-light window with a sundial, inscribed ‘J 1624 L’, and another features hood stops depicting the arms of Humphrey Stafford and Ann Neville. Triangular-headed bell openings are louvred, and the top is marked by gargoyles and an embattled parapet.

Inside, the chancel has ashlar roof trusses. South sedilia are set within window recesses with cusped arches. The nave features a deep-arch-braced roof and four-bay arcades with moulded arches and round piers. A tall 15th-century tower arch has brattished capitals. The vestry entrance is pointed, with encaustic and wall tiles. The chancel arch has foliate capitals and zig-zag detailing. The church contains plain stalls, an arcaded altar rail, an ashlar south pulpit with quatrefoils and angel corbel, a timber lectern, and a square font with early Christian style carving. A 1929 timber screen is located at the vestry arch. A possible 11th or 12th-century slab built into the west wall of the aisle is decorated with triangular foliate carvings.

Memorials include early 19th-century wall tablets, an alabaster war memorial, and tablets dating from 1628 and 1702 relating to poor grants. The church also contains 19th-century stained glass, notably a good east window with figures in vesical shapes.