Church Of St Mary Magdalene

The Church of St Mary Magdalene is a parish church largely of the 13th and 14th centuries, with a 19th-century chancel. The church is constructed of flint and stone rubble with Barnack stone dressings.

The west tower, of the mid-13th century, is of three stages with angle buttressing and an octagonal broach spire, ashlar faced with three tiers of spire lights. A tall lancet window occupies the west side, featuring a trefoil head as a transom, and quatrefoil openings below. The tower also has lancet windows to its second stage and pointed lights to the belfry, with a stair turret at the south-west angle.

The early 13th-century nave has north and south aisles which flank the west tower. The south aisle features three two-stage buttresses and three windows of the late 14th century, each with three cinquefoil lights in a two-centred head with a moulded label. A similar window appears on the east wall. A 17th-century three-light window with a square head is set into the west wall. The south porch is also of the late 14th century, tiled and gabled with diagonal buttressing; its outer archway has three moulded orders.

The north aisle incorporates three 15th-century windows, each with three cinquefoil lights, vertical tracery, and a four-centred head with a moulded label. A similar window is on the east wall. A late 13th-century doorway with a two-order, two-centred arch is also present. The 15th-century north porch is gabled with a stone-coped parapet, and its outer archway of two moulded orders has a moulded label.

The chancel was rebuilt in the late 18th century and extended in 1832, using gault brick with stone dressings and a slate roof with parapets. It has three tall lancet windows to each side and three similar windows to the east.

Inside, a 12th-century chancel arch is semi-circular, featuring chevron decoration and two orders, and large roll mouldings to the soffit. It includes three attached shafts to each respond, with scalloped or cushion capitals, moulded bases, and chamfered or grooved abaci. The nave has early 13th-century two-centred arches of two chamfered orders, cylindrical piers with bell capitals and bases, one octagonal pier, and a 12th-century respond with an attached half column. The roof was restored in the 19th century.

Two late 18th-century wall monuments by John Bacon RA are located in the north wall of the chancel, one dated 1781 to John Leman and the other dated 1790 to Elizabeth Strode. A 12th-century iron knocker, featuring a lion's head with a ring in its mouth terminating in two winged dragons, is now on the timer vestry door. The early 13th-century font has a square bowl, carved sides, a round stem, and four angle shafts, all with moulded capitals and bases.