Church Of St Mary

TF 91 NE GRESSENHALL CHURCH LANE (west side)

3/14 Church of St.Mary 30/5/60

• I

Parish church. Medieval and later. Flint and some ferruginous conglomerate with ashlar and some brick dressings. Slate and lead roofs. Aisled nave with south porch and north vestry; central tower with transepts; chancel. Nave with fine 3-light C14 west window with mouchettes. Victorian aisle west windows. 6 C15 2-light cusped clearstorey windows. 4 restored Perpendicular 2-light aisle windows. Porch with diagonal butresses and moulded entrance. Hollow chamfered south doorway with fine C15 blind traceried door. Heavily restored C12 tower with shallow angle buttresses, Norman former twin bell- openings to north, south and west. West bell-opening (now inside) with chevron moulded arches and shaft. Present bell stage C19 with 2-light bell-openings in Perpendicular style. Transepts with 2 Perpendicular 3-light windows to north and 2 3-light windows with embattled transoms to south. South transept 2 storeyed with a small 2-light upper window. Chancel with highly decorated buttresses displaying blind tracery with shields and carvings of fantastic beasts on lower copings. 3 unusual 3-light traceried windows with little or no cusping - probably mid C16. Modern 3-light east window in Perpendicular style. Interior. 3-bay nave with C14 or C15 octagonal piers supporting plain chamfered arches of 2 orders. Mutilated Atlas figure corbels at ends of arcades. Plain chamfered tower arches on polygonal responds. Chancel with finely moulded entrance to former vestry to north. Restored C16 piscina cum triple sedilia with very shallow arches, simple blind tracery and miniature rib vaults. Carving above lowermost sedile, of a kneeling saint being stoned. C15 south transept ceiling with carved joists and traceried panels retaining some original paint. Staircase in south west corner of transept with C15 door retaining original painted posies and ironwork. 2 dado panels of former screen with carved tracery and mutilated paintings.

Listing NGR: TF9589815505