Church Of St Mary

TQ 59 NW STAPLEFORD TAWNEY CHURCH ROAD 7/277 Church of St. Mary 20/2/67 GV II*

Parish Church. Chancel circa 1220. South chapel and nave added shortly after. North vestry and South Porch circa 1862 when the church was drastically restored. West Bell Turret weatherboarded with shingled broach spire and weathercock. Flint rubble built with stone dressings. Red plain tiled roofs with pierced ridge tiles. Chancel. 2, 2 stage buttresses stone capped. East window of 3 C19/20 lancets in pointed arched heads, in the north wall is a lancet window, modern except for re-cut stone splays and a C19/20 arch to the organ chamber. South wall with C15 window of 2 cinquefoil lights with square head and moulded label. C19/20 arcade of 2 bays extending into nave. There is no chancel arch. Chancel roof of 7 cants is plastered and painted. South Chapel. Mid Cl3. In east wall is an original lancet window under a wide pointed wall arch. In the south wall are 3 lancets and 1 in the west wall, are all modern except possibly re-cut stones in the splays. Moulded wall plates to 6 cant roof. Nave. In the north wall are 2 C19 2 light windows, one Cl9 doorway and the blocked C13 north doorway with chamfered jambs and two centred arch. The south wall has C19/20 2 light window in a 2 centred head and C19/20 doorway with 2 centre head moulded label and face stops, vertically boarded door with 4 ornate hinges. Nave roof of 7 cants with C19 boarding. The Porch has a crossquadrate crownpost, collared rafters and stop chamfered tie beam on flint walls. Bell Turret stands on 4 chamfered posts with tie beams, curved braces and diagonal struts. Fittings. Font on plain shaft with moulded base and cushion bowl. Hatchment to north wall. Communion rails. Square posts with moulded tops, flat, pierced, moulded and diminishing balusters Cl7. Floor slabs in chancel to various members of the Luther and Lowe families Cl7 and Cl8. Monuments to members of the Smith family, Henry Soames, Grace Adalson and Charlotte Tupper. Stone pulpit with 2 two-centre arches to each face.

Listing NGR: TQ5028899018