Church Of St Mary

Parish church of St Mary at Ardleigh. The building comprises a 14th-century western bay of the nave, a 15th-century west tower and south porch, with the chancel, chapels, nave and aisles substantially rebuilt between 1881 and 1885 by William Butterfield. The structure employs flint, rubble, septaria, Roman brick and puddingstone with brick and limestone dressings, and is roofed in red plain tiles.

The chancel features angle buttresses with the plinth continuing through the north and south chapels. A raised band runs beneath the window and chapel windows. The east window comprises three trefoiled ogee lights with tracery above and a two-centred head with label. A stone cross crowns the gable apex. The north and south chapels are buttressed at angles with stone parapet verges. The north chapel has trefoiled two-light windows under square heads to the east and north walls, with a red brick dressed two-centred arch doorway with vertically boarded door on the north wall. The south chapel east window has two trefoiled ogee lights with tracery over and a two-centred head with label, while the south wall features two windows of two trefoiled ogees with quatrefoils over, set beneath segmental heads. A moulded stone parapet runs across the south chapel.

The nave has a moulded cornice and a clerestorey with four lights to both north and south walls, each of two trefoiled ogees under two-centred arches with labels and bands at impost height. The 14th-century western windows to the north and south walls contain three trefoiled ogee lights with tracery above, two-centred heads, moulded labels and head stops. The north vestry has a buttress at the angle, plinth and a window of two trefoiled ogees with a quatrefoil over beneath a segmental head, with stone parapet. The north and south aisles display moulded stone parapets with three windows between buttresses, each of three trefoiled ogee lights with quatrefoils over and four-centred heads, separated by a band below the windows.

The 15th-century south porch is crenellated with a moulded plinth, both decorated with flint flushwork panels. Stone panels with traceried heads ornament each stage of the diagonal buttresses, the heads surmounted by crenellated capitals to shafts supporting seated animals. A central cross on a crenellated stem crowns the structure. Gargoyles decorate the east and west wall parapet bands, these walls each containing a window of three cinquefoil lights with crenellated tracery set in segmental pointed heads with moulded labels. The front wall of two stages is covered with flint flushwork. The name "Maria" in black letters appears at the top of the lower stage, whilst at the base of the upper stage runs a row of stone chalices and hosts, below which is an ashlar band inscribed "Orate p Animabos Johis Hute At Y Wode Et Alicie Uxoris Ejus Johis Hute Willi Hute". The outer archway has two moulded orders, the outer continuous and the inner resting on attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases. The square head carries double moulded labels with crowned lion stops on foliated brackets. The spandrels contain carved figures of St George and the Dragon. Above the arch are three niches with buttressed jambs and elaborate traceried and crocketted canopies, with pedestals supporting half angels and clouds beneath figures of possibly St George, the Madonna and a bishop holding a church. Moulded and braced principals form the porch roof of two bays, creating four-centred arches with moulded ridge and wall plates. Stone side seats are built into the porch. A holy water stoup to the east of the south doorway has moulded jambs and a cinquefoiled head, the bowl now eroded, probably dating to the 15th century. A reset 15th-century south doorway features a moulded two-centred arch with moulded and shafted jambs, one bearing figures and foliage, with a square head over and carved figures of Adam and Eve to the spandrels. The 15th-century south door comprises two folds, each of three panels with traceried heads and moulded bars, with pierced scutcheon plates. A 15th-century crocketted and finialled niche above the doorway contains a figure of possibly St George and the Dragon. A monument on the south wall consists of a wooden marbled tablet with side pilasters and broken pediment, commemorating Barbara, wife of Henry Lufkin (died 1706) and Henry Lufkin (died 1721).

The 15th-century west tower comprises three stages. It has a moulded plinth with flint flushwork panels and buttresses to the south-east, south-west and north-west angles, with a stair turret to the north-east. Bands run below the windows. A 19th-century brick and flint crow-stepped parapet with corner and central finials caps the tower. Each face of the bell chamber features a window of two trefoiled ogee lights under two-centred heads with moulded labels. The second stage has single cinquefoiled lights to each face with brick outer arches; clock faces ornament the north and south walls. The western window contains three trefoiled ogee lights with vertical tracery above, a two-centred head and moulded label. The west doorway has a moulded two-centred arch beneath a square head label with head stops, and is fitted with double vertically boarded doors. The bell chamber is said to contain eight bells, including two by John Darbie (1676 and 1675), one by Charles Newman (1689) and one possibly by Robert Burford (early 15th century) inscribed "Sum Rosa Pulsata Mundi Maria Vocata".

Interior. The chancel contains 19th-century paintings throughout, some by Reverend E. Geldart of Little Braxted. The roof is barrel-vaulted and ribbed over two bays, with a central arched brace supported by wall posts on corbels. The floor is laid in coloured tiles. Enriched panelled arches serve the reredos and side panels, which are topped by mosaics of the Evangelists. A piscina with marble cill and upper shelf has a panelled base and trefoiled ogee arch with a two-centred label. The east and south windows contain 19th-century stained glass. Panelled wood side chairs line the walls, and cast iron altar rails enclose the sanctuary. A Caernarvon head decorates the north doorway above a chamfered two-centred arch with angled jamb shafts leading to the north organ chamber. The south wall contains a small and a larger chamfered two-centred archway leading into the two-bay south chapel. A chamfered two-centred chancel arch with moulded capitals and bases to attached jamb shafts and label separates the chancel from the nave. Partly restored 15th-century screen bases flank the chancel arch, each of two bays with moulded rails and buttresses. The panels feature septfoil ogee heads with tracery, and the spandrels are carved with foliage, gargoyles and dragons. The east wall of the south chapel displays a wall memorial to William and Catherine Lugar (died 1778 and 1787). A 15th-century re-sited niche in the east wall has moulded and buttressed jambs and a defaced vaulted canopy, now containing a 20th-century metal statue of the Virgin and Child. A 20th-century metal statue of St Francis stands on a stone cill to the south wall. The east and south-east windows contain 19th-century stained glass. A chamfered two-centred arch leads from the south chapel into the south aisle.

The nave contains a 19th or 20th-century brass eagle lectern and a 19th or 20th-century octagonal wooden pulpit with moulded and pierced panels and sounding board. The roof is of seven cants with alternate trusses braced from flat wall posts. The north and south arcades consist of three bays, each with a chamfered two-centred arch and moulded capitals and bases to octagonal columns. Three stained glass windows light the aisles; the remainder of the aisles are glazed with diamond-leaded coloured glass. The floors combine coloured tiles and wood. A large memorial plaque to Elizabeth, wife of Lawrence Jackson and daughter of Humphrey Sydenham (died 1769), and Lawrence Jackson (died 1772) adorns the north aisle wall. Three 19th-century memorials commemorate Henry, Christian and Frederick Bishop. 19th-century wall brasses honour John Bishop and Amy Lugar. A 19th-century stone octagonal font is supported by an octagonal central shaft and marble circular angle shafts with moulded capitals and bases, set upon an octagonal base. A painting of Christ Blessing the Children, possibly by Aert Pieters (1550-1612), hangs in the nave. The west tower contains a two-centred arch of two moulded orders, the outer continuous and the inner resting on restored semi-octagonal shafts with moulded capitals and bases. A chamfered segmental head crowns the stair turret doorway.