Parish Church Of St Mary The Virgin

This parish church dates from the 11th century with substantial later additions and alterations. The walls are constructed of flint rubble and red brick with dressings of limestone and clunch, and the roof is covered with lead and handmade red clay tiles.

Tower

The west tower is late 11th century, substantially altered in the early 16th century. It rises in four stages with added western diagonal buttresses and a crenellated parapet featuring a grotesque gargoyle in the middle of each side set into the string-course. The east half of the two upper stages was rebuilt in red brick in the early 16th century, and the two square east buttresses are carried down into the nave.

The tower arch, dating from around 1500, is moulded and two-centred, with responds each having an attached semi-circular shaft with moulded capital and base. Further north is a blocked early 16th-century doorway to the stair turret with a four-centred head; access to the turret is now obtained by a 19th-century external doorway. The turret stair has two simple rectangular windows to the northwest.

The south, north and west walls of the ground stage each have an original light with a round head; the south window has been slightly widened. The second stage originally had in each of the north, south and west walls a larger 11th-century window with rebated jambs and round head; all these windows are now blocked, and only the jambs remain in the south wall. The third stage has traces of blocked windows of unknown date in the north, south and west walls. The bell-chamber has in each wall an early 16th-century window of two lights with plain tracery under a two-centred head; the north and west windows are much restored.

There are five bells, the first by John Hodson, 1653.

Chancel

The chancel is of 11th-century origin but much altered. It has a 19th-century east window with old internal splays. In the north wall, opening into the 19th-century vestry, is an early 16th-century doorway with four-centred arch, recessed spandrels and restored jambs. Further west is a 19th-century arch to the organ chamber.

In the south wall are two windows. The eastern window is 19th century except for the splays and chamfered two-centred rear-arch, which are 14th century. The western window is a transomed low-side window, 19th century except for the splays and part of the external jambs. Between the windows is a doorway, 19th century except for the splays and segmental-pointed rear-arch.

The chancel arch, dating from around 1400, is two-centred and of two chamfered orders. The responds have attached semi-octagonal shafts with moulded capitals and bases. The capitals have square moulded corbels on the inner face, formerly to support a rood screen, and the base of the arch has been cut away for the same purpose.

Nave

The nave has north and south arcades, each of four bays. The south arcade was built around 1400 and the north arcade was rebuilt later in the 15th century. The two-centred arches are of two chamfered orders, the outer continuous and springing from semi-octagonal shafts with moulded capitals and bases; the responds have similar attached shafts.

In the northeast corner is a small 15th-century doorway with chamfered jambs and four-centred head, opening into the rood-loft staircase; the upper part is blocked.

The early 16th-century clerestorey has a crenellated parapet and is of red brick. The four windows on each side are all of two plain four-centred lights under a square head. The roof is in four bays, of shallow pitch, with short king-posts on straight hollow-chamfered tiebeams with moulded knees supported on five grotesque corbels, one head-corbel and two plain ones, early 16th century.

North Aisle

The north aisle is mid-15th century and has a moulded external plinth and a crenellated parapet, partly of red brick. In the east wall is a window of four lights with cinquefoiled tracery (missing from the outer lights) under a steep two-centred arch, with original wrought iron grills and one casement.

In the north wall are three windows. The eastern window is blocked internally by a monument, with the jambs and two-centred head exposed externally. The other two windows are of three cinquefoiled lights under a two-centred head, the middle window restored. Between the two western windows is the north doorway, with continuous moulded jambs and two-centred head, and moulded external label. The door is battened with strap-hinges, of uncertain date.

The late 15th-century roof is of four bays with moulded main timbers, the tiebeams carved with running foliage. Two of the principal tiebeams have added curved braces, early 16th century, with carved spandrels; each spandrel holds a shield, mostly plain, but one has a saltire and another a molet; the third principal tiebeam is plain. There are notable similarities with the roof of the north aisle of Stambourne parish church, 4.6 kilometres to the southeast.

South Aisle and Porch

The south aisle is 14th century, but the upper part has been raised in brick in the early 16th century; the rake of the original roof is visible externally at the east end. The east window is 19th century except for the splays and pointed rear-arch. In the south wall are three windows, all 19th century except for the internal splays.

Between the two western windows is the south doorway, late 14th century, with continuous moulded jambs and two-centred head. The door is built with V-edged planks, strap-hinges, and a rear frame comprising two durns, five stiles and ten ledges, halved behind the stiles, rivetted at the crossings, possibly 14th century.

In the west wall is an early 16th-century window of red brick with three plain four-centred lights and uncusped tracery, under a four-centred head, restored. The roof, early 16th century, is similar to that of the south aisle, in four bays with moulded rafters and moulded and richly carved principal and intermediate tiebeams and ridge; the principal tiebeams have curved braces with cable moulding and foliate carving in the spandrels; a carved rose-pendant hangs from the middle of each principal tiebeam.

The south porch is late 14th century with a crenellated parapet of brick and stone, restored. The two-centred outer archway, around 1400, is of two orders, the outer moulded and the inner hollow-chamfered and springing from semi-octagonal shafts with moulded capitals, all partly restored. In the east wall is a late 14th-century window of two cinquefoiled ogee lights with tracery under a segmental-pointed head. In the west wall are remains of the jambs and head of a similar window; the north half of the wall has been repaired with re-used squared ashlar. The roof has a chamfered ridge and billet-moulded wallplates, 16th century.

Fittings and Monuments

The font, in the tower, has an octagonal stem and bowl, with seven faces of the bowl bearing quatrefoil panels and plain shields, 15th century.

In the east window of the north aisle there is 15th and 16th-century glass, comprising two shields of arms representing Bendish, and part of a pedestal.

There is a brass in the north aisle, on the east respond of the arcade, to Sir Thomas Bendishe, baronet, 1672.

Monuments in the north aisle include: (1) to Richard Bendish, 1486, Richard Bendish, 1523, and John Bendish, 1585, a stone tablet partly painted, in three bays divided by Composite half-columns supporting an entablature and cresting with three shields of arms; (2) to Sir John Bendyshe, baronet, 1707, and Martha his wife, 1705, a white marble tablet erected around 1740.

Floor-slabs include in the north aisle: (1) to the only child of Mary Beale, and Mary Dyke, 1636, with shield of arms, much worn; (2) to John, son of George Gent, 1684; and in the chancel to Lucia (Bough) wife of George Wale, 1678.

There is an 8th-century boss on the north door of the chancel of bronze, gilt, with panels of interlacing and other ornament, four small fishes in relief and sockets for 18 jewels, probably of Irish origin.

A poor box in the south aisle comprises a panelled octagonal pedestal with crenellated top, three locks and slot in lid, iron bound, around 1500.

Panels and popeys of the 16th century are incorporated in 19th-century seating. Two 19th-century pews incorporate panelling inscribed: 'onsel and Tomas Lond her som ded this stooles to make the yeare of our Lord A. 1568.'

Graffiti

There is a notable collection of medieval graffiti, some merely patterns, but including the collect of St Erkenwald in Latin, 15th century, on the south respond of the chancel arch, and two marriage entries from the feast of St George the Martyr, 1358 and 15th century on the third pier of the south arcade.

Later Alterations

General restoration, north vestry and organ chamber date from around 1880.