Church Of St Mary

Church of St Mary, Whitchurch

A church of late 11th-century origin with substantial additions and alterations spanning the medieval period through to the 19th century. The nave dates from the late 11th century, with its eastern half rebuilt in the early 12th century. The chancel was constructed in the late 12th century, then lengthened in the early 13th century and remodelled around 1500. A 17th-century bellcote was added, along with repairs and shortening of the nave; further restorations followed in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The church is constructed of rubble, including herringbone masonry to the western half of the nave dating from the late 11th century, with coursed squared stone throughout and ashlar dressings. The roofs are slate, except for the bellcote which is shingled. Gables are coped.

The chancel is distinguished by an offset plinth. A 5-light east window of around 1500, with 2 king mullions between 2 shallow buttresses, contains three shields to the gable. The north side preserves a 12th-century round-headed light, altered to a lancet in the 13th century, and a 2:1:2-light straight-headed window of around 1500 to the east, with traces of a blocked entrance below. The south side contains two similar windows, one partly raised over a 13th-century priest's entrance, with traces of further blocked windows.

The nave's north side displays rubble and ashlar with an offset buttress, eaves corbels, and a 12th-century round-headed light to its eastern half, with herringbone masonry to the west. The south side, of ashlar construction, features a likely 18th-century straight-headed window with three elliptical-headed lights to the east, contemporary ashlar and buttress, and a late 13th-century window to the west half. A re-set 12th-century round-headed entrance of single order stands above later 17th-century ashlar that incorporates a relief of the Paschal Lamb with a worn painted sundial dated 1646 to its left.

The west wall, dating from the 17th century, includes a straight-headed window of three elliptical-headed lights, a small shuttered light above, and a timber-framed square bellcote with shingled walls and pyramid roof. The bell openings consist of three louvred lights with enriched heads.

The interior chancel features a 19th-century wagon roof with sloping north and south walls. The wide hollow-chamfered reveals of the east window retain hacked-off image plinths on octagonal shafts with mutilated canopies. The north wall preserves a 15th-century tomb recess, jambs to two removed 12th-century windows, and jambs of a blocked opening. The south wall contains a blocked 12th-century window with traces of another, a rectangular recess with piscina bowl to the left, and at the east end a shallow recess rebated for a door to the right. The chancel arch displays 12th-century responds with paired shafts and a 13th-century triple-stop-chamfered arch.

The nave roof consists of 17th-century trusses with queen struts to collars, supported by earlier arch-braced timber posts that support the bellcote. A re-set panel of Anglo-Danish interlace has been incorporated into the west wall.

The chancel contains enriched panelling to the east wall with cornice and cresting, a recess to the right with an open-work door, and two housel benches, one of 17th-century date and one dated 1923. The nave holds a pulpit with early 17th-century panels to three sides; early 17th-century painted Royal Arms in a nowy-headed frame, altered around 1714; a plain octagonal font of 18th-century date; a screened-in vestry to the north-west angle; and a screen by the entrance.

The stained glass includes late 15th-century work in the chancel side windows, comprising sacred monograms, armorial bearings and flowers in tracery with decorative 19th-century quarries below. The east window contains 19th-century glass in the tracery and a figure to the central light. A 19th-century figure appears in the north wall west window, and the nave west window contains a 1989 panel.

Monuments include the chest tomb of William Smyth, rector (died 1442), with a white marble slab moulded at the edge and incised with a cross, chalice and book, with a black-letter inscription to the border and later graffiti including an outline foot and initials R W dated 1759. Floor slabs commemorate Lucy Ann and Hester, wives of Thomas Mariett, who died in 1681 and 1686 respectively. A further floor slab marks members of Richard Marriett's family, who died in 1701, 1702 and 1704. A re-set stone to the right of the west window displays an Anglo-Danish interlace panel.

The church stands on the site of a medieval village that was deserted by the mid-16th century. Only a barn and cottage dated 1826 remain in the vicinity.