Church Of St Mary The Virgin

The Church of St Mary the Virgin is a parish church located in Great Plumstead, featuring medieval fragments and a tower dated 1711, which was restored in 1875. The church is constructed of flint with brick and stone dressings, topped with a plain tile roof. It includes a west tower, nave, south porch, and chancel. The tower, built of brick, is set on a medieval flint base and is designed in two stages with clasping pilasters. It has a 19th-century single light west window with a stilted 'Tudor' arch, a date plaque in a recess on the south side with a moulded cornice above and a sill band below, and vent loop type sound holes on the north and south sides. A string course marks the bell chamber floor level, and the belfry features honeycomb brick openings with semi-circular arches and a key block. Below the chequered flint and stone battlemented parapet with brick finials, there are reset medieval gargoyles. The remainder of the church is primarily from the 19th century, with a three-bay nave that has offset buttresses and three light Perpendicular style windows. There is a blocked north door and a gabled south porch with a parapet. The chancel wall on the north side has a single light lancet, while the south side features a three light 19th-century Perpendicular style window, a central blocked priest's door, and a small two light window. The south side also has a three light Perpendicular window flanked by two reset blocked 13th-century lancet windows, with parapet gables supported by stone kneelers. Inside, the church has a 19th-century stoup near the south door, visible 13th-century shafts on the east chancel wall, and steps leading to a rood loft in the north chancel wall. There are two small brasses in the floor. An inscription on the tower notes that it was restored by Thom Marker and Mr. Joseph Vincent, church wardens, in 1711, and the hopper heads are dated 1875.