Church Of St Mary The Virgin

Essendon TL 20 NE ESSENDON HIGH ROAD (west side)

9/64 Church of St Mary the Virgin 30.3.66

GV II*

Church. C15 W tower, restored. Nave and aisles rebuilt 1883 by W White. E end rebuilt 1917 by C J Blomfield. Flint facing with stone dressings. Chequer patterning between window heads and to gables. 4-stage W tower was rebuilt at top in C17 when cross bar 2-light windows with Tudor hoods were inserted. W door surmounted by 3-light C15 style windows. Slit windows to SW angle. Hertfordshire spike with wrought iron weathervane. Nave and 2 aisles of equal heights. Gabled porches N and S. C14- style window tracery. Interior has font in S aisle of nave of Wedgwood's Black Basalt ware. Bowl with drapery decoration standing on fluted wood pier. Nearby on S wall is brass to W. Tooke, 1588, and alabaster wall monument to W Prestley (d. 1664) with spiral columns and oval plaque surrounded by leaf carving. Late C19 marble monument of 2 sleeping children in N chancel aisle by W Theed. The church has important group and landmark value (Pevsner (1977)).

Listing NGR: TL2735708763