Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a parish church largely of the 14th century, with 13th-century origins evident in the North arcade and chancel arch. A fine 15th-century West Tower and a chancel extension of similar date were added, and the church was restored in 1862 and during the 20th century. It is constructed of rubble stone with Barnack limestone dressings, and has leaded and copper roofs.

The church comprises a West Tower, Nave, North and South aisles, and a Chancel with North and South chapels. The West Tower is four-stage, embattled with crocketed pinnacles at the corners, and features gargoyles to the main cornice and a frieze of quatrefoils on a double moulded base with blank arcading to the ground and second stages. Clasping buttresses rise in three stages; the second stage is gabled, with canopied niches on the West side. The West doorway has continuous hollow moulding within a two-centred arch with an ogee head, a niche, and foliate decoration to the spandrel, flanked by crocketed pinnacles. A four-light West window has cinquefoil lights, vertical tracery, a panelled surround, and a moulded label. A slender ashlar-faced spire rises from the corner pinnacles, featuring crocketing and pierced buttressing, with three tiers of gabled spire lights. The embattled nave has a clerestory of four trefoil-light windows in four-centred heads on each side. The South aisle has a raised roof and mainly 14th-century fabric, with restored 14th-century reticulated tracery to the windows. A 20th-century South porch incorporates medieval materials. The South chapel is also 14th century and partially flanks the chancel, which was extended in the 15th century. The East window has five cinquefoil lights and three-stage diagonal buttressing with panelled ends and a double moulded plinth, resembling the West Tower. A crypt lies below the East end of the South chapel, accessed by three small openings with trefoil cusping to two-centred arches.

Inside, the tower is vaulted, with a large circular opening for bell ropes. The tall tower arch sits upon a high base with embattled shafts. The Nave has a four-bay North arcade, mostly 13th century, comprised of two-centred arches of two hollow moulded orders on round columns with moulded capitals. The western bay is likely 15th century and was added during the tower’s construction. The West bay of the South arcade is similar to the North arcade, while the remaining bays are 14th century, with two-centred double chamfered arches with broach stops on hexagonal columns. The C13 chancel arch is similar to those of the North arcade. The Nave roof is 15th century, with cambered and moulded tie beams on jackposts. The chancel roof retains a tie beam dated 1744, likely a replacement for a 15th-century beam following the insertion of a clerestory in the 15th century. Monuments include the memorial to Sir Harry Wakelyn Smith, a native of Whittlesey, with a bust by G. G. Adams, dated 1862.