Church of St. Mary the Virgin

TG 41 NE 2/18

HEMSBY THE STREET (east side) Church of St. Mary the Virgin

(Formerly listed as Church of St Mary)

25.9.62

G.V. II

Parish church. Early C14 chancel, mid C14 west tower, C15 nave. Church restored 1868, tower restored 1974. Quaternary flint and chert with Lincolnshire Limestone ashlar dressings and slate roof. Nave and chancel are continuous. Three stage tower supported by stepped diagonal buttresses. Flushwork arcading to base. Square quatrefoil ringing chamber ventilation panels. String course below belfry stage. Two-light cusped and reticulated belfry windows. Crenellated flushwork parapet. Diagonal east and west nave and chancel buttresses with stepped buttresses to flanks. Two storey gabled south porch with diagonal buttresses. Wave moulded arched entrance enriched by semi-circular responds with capitals and bases, all C14. Cusped parvis window above. In gable head an ogee canopied statuary niche. Two-light stilted Perpendicular side windows. Interior of porch with quadripartite tierceron vault with ridge and transverse ribs. Bosses depict scenes: God the Father, The Resurrection, Assumption of the Virgin, Ascension of Christ, Annunciation, Nativity. Inner south doorway of wave mouldings and casements. Three three-light C15 Perpendicular nave windows north and south, restored. South chancel pierced by two two-light Y windows, that to east of arched priests' door cusped with vesica. One two-light Y window to north chancel. C15 restored three-light east chancel window.

Interior. C15 triple chamfered tower arch with semi-circular responds. Moulded timber chancel arch on corbels, all 1868. Octagonal C15 font, the stem of which alternates with buttresses and lions sejant. Bowl alternates with shields and symbols of four evangelists. C19 nave roof of arched braces dropping to wall posts. Moulded principals and one tier moulded butt purlins. Both rood stair doorways and stairs survive. C19 screen. Cusped rectangular nave piscina. C15 chancel roof of same design as nave, restored C19 when windbracing and ridge piece replaced.

Listing NGR: TG4943617382