Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a Grade I listed building, primarily constructed in the 15th century. It features a flint and stone structure with a broad west tower in the Hertfordshire style, which consists of three stages, diagonal buttresses, battlements, a north-east stair turret, and a lead spirelet. The church has a low, broad six-bay nave with a clerestory and a low pitch timber roof supported by arched braces on corbels, with octagonal piers and aisles.

The chancel, mostly from the 15th century, includes a chancel arch and piscina from the 13th century. There is a south chapel from the 15th century that was significantly altered in 1871, and a north chapel dating to 1597, which features a Tuscan column at the chancel opening and a mullion and transom east window. The chancel east window has six lights.

A major restoration took place in 1871, led by architect J T Christopher, during which the exterior was refaced, battlements were added to the tower, the south aisle walls were rebuilt, and new roofs were installed for the south aisle and the south and north chapels. Notable interior features include an ornate stone font carved by Forsyth and a stone reredos carved by E Renversey. The pulpit, dating from 1714 and created by R Bull, has carved borders on its panels, although its stem was cut down in 1848.

The north chancel chapel contains outstanding monuments, including two wall monuments by Nicholas Stone: one for Sir Charles Morison from 1598 and another for his son, also Sir Charles, from 1628. There is also a wall monument to Lady Dorothy Morison from around 1618, along with later marble tablets commemorating Anne Denne from 1790, by J Golden, Henry Ewer from 1667, and J Vernon from the mid-18th century. Additionally, there are brasses commemorating Hugh de Holes and his wife from the early 15th century, and three Morison retainers from the early 17th century. A French or Flemish vestment cupboard from around 1730 features carved reliefs, and the royal arms were painted in 1736. The 18th-century finials on the tower were removed in 1871. A modern church hall extension has been added to the south.