Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a parish church situated in Quidenham. The church's construction occurred in several phases, beginning in the 12th century with the west tower. The nave and a now-demolished south aisle date to the very late 13th century, with alterations made in the 15th century. The chancel was built in the late 13th century and subsequently altered in the 15th century. The church underwent restoration in 1885, and the tower was further restored between 1950 and 1951.

The west tower is round and comprises two stages. It features a single square light on the west side and three arched, splayed lights to the ringing chamber. A string course sits below the Y-traceried 2-light belfry windows, some of which lack mullions and are blocked with brick. A crenellated parapet, rebuilt using brick and flint, tops the tower. Around 1740, the south aisle was demolished, leaving the remains of its east and west window jambs. A south aisle door has been re-set into a blocked west arcade bay, featuring two orders of sunk quadrants. The arcades are blocked to capitals using brick, with glazed arches containing leaded lights. A parapet separates the nave and chancel. On the south side of the chancel, two 19th-century 2-light, panel-traceried windows sit above a string course, which rises squarely over an arched Priest's door. Diagonal east buttresses frame a 3-light Perpendicular east window dating from 1870. The north side features 19th-century 2-light windows to the chancel and 3-light windows to the nave, with two flat buttresses. A 15th-century gabled north porch, constructed of knapped flint on the north face and coursed flint on the east and west, includes two fleuron trails to the jambs and arch, the former divided by a column with leaf capitals. A blocked statuary niche is above the door.

Inside, a four-bay arcade extends south from quatrefoil piers with moulded capitals under arches of sunk quadrants, hollows and rolls. The north porch now serves as a vestry, and contains an inner door from the late 14th century with hollow and wave-moulded jambs, separated by a wide casement featuring a relief reticulation trail. A plain octagonal font has grotesque heads under the bowl. A low, pointed tower arch takes place below the Royal Arms of George II. The pews and roof are from 1885, with the latter featuring moulded tie beams, a wall plate, collars, and two tiers of staggered butt purlins. A rood beam and cross, depicting Christ and Saints Mary and John, were installed in 1959. The chancel arch has fleurons, double wave mouldings, and blind tracery panels dating from the 15th century. The chancel roof is from 1885, including two tiers of butt purlins and arched collars. A monument to Samuel Bircham (1732) is located on the north chancel wall, beside a blocked window and door arch. A fine late 13th-century double piscina contains two moulded arches on columns with a square hood containing trefoil spandrel figures. An Early 17th-century pulpit is panelled with flower scroll detailing below the top rail, which is supported on carved brackets.