Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary, built between 1418 and 1448, is a Grade I listed building located on Churchgate in Cheshunt. It underwent restoration in 1872-3 by J Clarke and again in 1883-4 by G F Bodley. The church features flint and ashlar dressings, with a squared rubble west tower that has a taller southeast stair turret and low buttresses, all topped with embattlements. The nave consists of five bays supported by clustered piers and has two-light, cusped clerestorey windows.

Inside, there is a tall west arch leading to the lower stage of the tower, which has attached shafts. The painted panelled roof includes tie beams resting on stone figured stops. The choir features a three-bay arcade on the south side, with a 19th-century roof and clerestorey windows. Notable interior elements include a three-arch sedilia adorned with figured head stops, leaf crockets, and finials, as well as a piscina and book recess on both the north and south sides.

The church contains significant monuments, including a 1543 tomb chest in a recess on the north side of the chancel, with a superstructure remodelled by Thomas Daires in 1641. There is also a monument from 1635 to Henry Atkins, a physician to James I and Charles I, located on the south side of the chancel aisle, featuring draperies tied around columns. Additionally, there are 18th and 19th-century wall monuments in the aisles, including a life-sized figure and urn dedicated to David Dobson from 1741 at the west end of the north aisle. The Purbeck marble font, dating from the 12th century, is octagonal with recessed trefoil-headed panels, and the organ case was created by Bodley in 1891.