Church Of St Laurence

The Church of St Laurence is a sandstone church with origins in the 12th century, and subsequent alterations and additions through the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries. A north aisle was added in 1900, designed in the 14th century style by G F Bodley.

The church consists of aisles, a nave, a chancel, and a west tower, reflecting the 12th-century original construction. A round-arched doorway, dating to circa 1170, is set into the Bodley north aisle. This doorway features a double order, with zigzag decoration on the inner order and two break heads. The 12th-century tower has lights with carved animal heads on its north and south faces.

The most significant 13th-century feature is the chancel, which has a triple group of lancet windows forming the east window. These windows have moulded heads, double shafted jambs, and a moulded drip to the outer arch. Further groups of three lancets are found in the south chancel wall, and two in the north wall, all under segmental arches springing from shafts. A single lancet at the west end of the south wall originally linked to a building which has since been demolished, with traces evident on the outside. The 13th-century south aisle replaced an earlier aisle. The lower stage of the west tower also dates to the 13th century. A four-bay octagonal pier arcade separates the south aisle.

The upper stage of the tower was rebuilt in the 15th century, and a half-timbered porch was added upon a sandstone base. The north arcade and aisle are a notable addition, executed in matching 14th century style by Bodley in 1900. Unusually, instead of a chancel arch, the church possesses four separate but contiguous trusses, with a tympanum in situ in the second truss from the nave end. This tympanum is framed and wattle and daubed, likely originally painted with a depiction of the Last Judgement. This roof structure represents a late 15th-century alteration to the 13th-century chancel roof, concurrent with the replacement of the nave roof. The pulpit incorporates reused elements from a former screen. A set of Royal Arms, Hanoverian, is displayed above the tower arch.