Church Of St Mary (C Of E)

The Church of St Mary is a parish church dating back to the 14th century, incorporating a 13th-century chancel and font. It features an unusual 15th-century west porch and a detached southeast bell tower. A 19th-century timber porch stands to the east, and a northeast vestry was added in the same period. The church was restored in 1864-5 by G & H Godwin.

The church is constructed of flint walls with stone dressings and moulded string courses. The nave has a tiled roof, while the chancel, south aisle, and south porch have slate coverings. The north aisle and small spire on the tower are topped with metal roofs. The tower’s upper stage is stuccoed and features battlements. The building is situated on a hillside, with the east end being higher, resulting in sloping floors and steps at the chancel arch and altar.

The interior is wide and spacious, boasting five-bay arcades with a clerestory. There are Decorated windows with flowing tracery, an ogee-headed tomb recess in the south aisle, and unusual piers featuring four attached semi-octagonal shafts with keel moulding in each angle. The chancel arch is a fine 13th-century design, composed of three orders with polished turned shafts (renewed in pink marble by Godwin), shaft rings, stiff-leaf capitals, and dogtooth ornament to the arch. Lancet windows are present in the north and south walls of the chancel, and a 3-light east window dating back to the 13th century has been renewed. The chancel features a polychrome Minton tiled reredos and floors. A particularly unique feature is the 13th-century octagonal font, decorated with two bands of stylized leaves carved in high relief around the bowl, supported by a cusped 19th-century arcaded base. A rood stair is located in the pier on the south side of the chancel arch, with an upper opening. A piscina is situated in the opposite pier. Doors are present on the north and south sides of the building, but are blocked and disused. Stained glass is found in the chancel: the east window dates to around 1864 and is attributed to Clayton & Bell, the north lancets were created by H Hughes in 1874, and the south lancet dates to around 1870. Brasses are located on the north wall of the chancel, depicting John Ruggewyn (lower part only, 1412), and on a tomb chest in the north nave aisle, depicting John Feld and Son (1477). Wall monuments flank the altar, dedicated to Sir Ralph Sadleir (died 1587) and Sir Thomas Sadleir (died 1606), and feature recumbent figures on chests with weeping figures beneath arched canopies supported by Corinthian columns; these demonstrate high-quality London workmanship. The church represents a large medieval building in a decayed borough, and is notable for its chancel arch, font, arcaded nave, monuments, brasses, glass, the west porch, and detached tower, all of which are unique in the county.