Church Of St Mary The Virgin

ELSENHAM HALL ROAD 1. 5222 Church of St Mary the Virgin TL 52 NW 22/247 21.2.67

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1. Much of this church is of the C12. The nave and chancel were built early in the C12 on the site of an earlier church, probably Saxon. A record of 1070 exists of the gift of the church as an endowment to the abbey of St Stephen, at Caen in Normandy. The chancel was altered in the C15 and the west tower of 3 stages without buttresses, with an embattled parapet and a stair turret rising to the second stage on the south-east corner was added early in the C15. The south porch was added about 1500 and has embattled wall plates and tie beam, with octagonal crown posts. The spandrels of the curved braces to the tie beams are carved. The south doorway is Norman with columns carved with zig-zag ornamentation and carved capitals. The tympanum is carved with saltire crosses. Inside the doorway a stone coffin lid carved with bands of saltire crosses is inserted in the tympanum. The nave has some Norman windows and a fine chancel arch ornamented with zig-zag carving and bands of saltire crosses. The nave has a C15 king post roof and the chancel has a fine double arched piscina with dog tooth ornamentation. The pulpit has an early C17 octagonal stem. The church is situated away from the village centre. Graded for its architectural and historical value. (RCHM 1).

Listing NGR: TL5422825924