Parish Church Of St Mary And St Helena

The parish church of St Mary and St Helena dates primarily to the early 12th century, with significant additions and alterations in the 13th, 15th, and 16th centuries. It was extensively reworked in 1881 by T. J. Jackson of Bedford. The church was originally part of an abbey church belonging to a Benedictine nunnery founded around 1078 by Countess Judith of Huntingdon. It is constructed from coursed rubble with ashlar dressings.

The building comprises a nave and aisles, which also function as a chancel and chapels, and a south vestry. The nave and aisles represent the surviving portion of the abbey church; the eastern end is blocked by a wall inserted during the Dissolution, with the springing of the arcades visible eastward in the final bay before the crossing. Three bays to the east feature plain early 12th-century arcades with semi-circular arches on rectangular piers, each pier topped with square moulded abaci. Two bays to the west display early 13th-century arcades with pointed arches, the northeast one adorned with dog-tooth decoration. The clerestory was rebuilt in 1881, featuring six windows on each side; three windows to the east are round-headed, and three to the west are pointed-arched. All eastern windows are a reworking from 1881. The aisles have 3-light pointed-arch windows inserted in 1881. A Norman-style doorway, rebuilt in 1881, is located on the north side, surmounted by a panel depicting Christ flanked by Sts Peter and John, framed by columns supporting a round-headed arch. The south aisle has a 15th-century doorway above which is a two-light square-headed window. The west elevation dates from the early 13th century, featuring a pointed-arched central doorway surmounted by a 15th-century square label. Directly above this is a 16th-century four-light window with a square head. A pointed-arched doorway is also present on the left-hand side of the north aisle, with an original lancet window above it. A stair turret is located at the southwest angle.

The south vestry was originally the early 13th-century outer parlour. It is a square room with a central octagonal pier that supports an unusual four-bay rib vault; some ribs break through into the adjoining bay.

Inside, a 15th-century octagonal font is situated in the north aisle, displaying traceried panels and one plain side. Brasses include depictions of Margery Argentine, who died in 1427, and Elizabeth Herwy, Abbess of Elstow, who died in 1527. Monuments include an alabaster monument in the east wall depicting kneeling figures of Humphrey Radcliffe (died 1566) and his wife Isabel Harvey, facing each other and flanked by Doric columns; a marble monument to Thomas Hillersdon, who died in 1656, in the south aisle wall; and another, also in the south aisle, commemorating John Hillersdon, who died in 1684.