Parish Church Of St Mary The Virgin (Church Of England)

The parish church of St Mary the Virgin is a substantial building with elements dating from the early 13th century, though largely rebuilt in the 15th century. It stands in the centre of Braughing village. The chancel was initially consecrated in 1220, followed by the nave, aisles, a south porch, and a west tower in the early 15th century. A mortuary chapel on the northeast side was added in 1638 for Simeon Brograve. Numerous restorations have occurred over the centuries, notably in 1838, 1852-3, 1855-61, 1866, 1872-3, and a thorough restoration completed in 1888 by Edmund Buckle.

The church is constructed of flint rubble with stone dressings, with the northeast chapel in red brick. Roofs are covered in old red tiles on the chancel, slate on the nave, a small copper spire with a vane, and metal on the aisles and northeast chapel. Battlemented parapets top the nave, rood-stair turret, tower and south porch. The chancel has lancet windows and a 15th-century chancel arch of two splayed orders. It features a scissor-braced collar-rafter roof. The aisled nave has four-bay arcades, believed to incorporate reused material, a clerestory, and Perpendicular aisle windows. A notable feature is the fine 15th-century angel roof with plastered panels and moulded ribs, with two elaborately traceried and coloured bays at the east end. A rood loft turret stair is located at the southeast of the nave. The west tower is tall and four-stage, with a doorway with traceried spandrels and niches, and a three-light window above. The tower arch to the nave is of three moulded orders. A two-storey south porch has pinnacles, gabled buttresses, a two-centred arched doorway with a square frame and traceried spandrels, and two large two-light windows on the upper floor (where the floor has been removed).

The church contains several noteworthy fittings, including a Della Robia-style roundel in the south aisle, 15th-century buttressed oak benches, a 14th-century octagonal font in the north aisle, and painted Royal Arms above the south door. Monuments include brasses from around 1480 depicting a man and woman in the south aisle, a memorial to Barbara Hauchett (died 1561), and a full frontal bust to Augustin Steward (died 1597) in the chancel. A large standing wall monument north of the altar commemorates John Brograve (died 1625) and his brother, with reclining figures, columns, arches, and carved spandrels. A monument from 1772, attributed to James “Athenian” Stuart and carved by Thomas Scheemakers, is located south of the altar, dedicated to Ralph Freeman of Hamels and his family, and includes a marble sarcophagus and three double-portrait medallions. A slate sundial on the porch was renewed in 1971.