Church Of St Cecilia

The Church of St. Cecilia is a redundant 14th-century parish church, restored in 1881. It is constructed of flint and carstone with stone dressings, and has a pantile roof. The church comprises a west tower and a nave, the chancel having been lost.

The three-stage west tower is primarily of small flints and carstone, with diagonal buttresses, a limestone plinth, and an embattled parapet – part of which is missing to the north. Flint panels fill the parapet. Gargoyles are located to the west and east, and the roof behind the parapet is covered in asbestos. A two-light Perpendicular window with panel tracery is on the west face. The second stage has a small trefoil-headed light and small lancets to the north and south faces. The third stage features two-light bell openings with an eyelet under a four-centred arch. The tower is clasped by the nave at the east angles.

The south nave is mainly of carstone, with some galleted carstone and iron conglomerate. It has two buttresses. The south doorway has continuous moulding and is dated 1866. One window opening has Y tracery under a four-centred arch and hoodmould. A 2.5-metre section of dressed limestone and galleted carstone is set back approximately 8 centimetres from the facade from 1.5 metres above ground level upwards; brick quoins mark the angle to the left. The east window, possibly a reset feature, and all window openings likely have been renewed. The east gable is also set back around 8 centimetres above the eaves. The north nave has two buttresses and two openings mirroring the south side. That to the right has grotesque figure stops and carstone rubble infill. To the east of the left buttress is a small 12th-century blocked semi-circular opening with a decorative head. A memorial plaque to the left is of red stone, bearing a shield of arms (barry of four, with three estoiles in chief, for Freke), a limestone surround, a skull, and the date 1706. The north doorway is similar to the south doorway and is blocked behind the door.

The interior has arched recesses to the north and south, the northern one being wide and the southern one hollow chamfered. The roof is a two-tier butt purlin design, featuring moulded pine principal rafters and purlins, queen posts, ties, and collars. There are moulded rear arches to the north and south doorways. A 14th-century octagonal font has deeply cut octofoils alternating with flowers on its faces. The tower contains 18th-century creed and commandment boards to the north, and a Hanoverian Royal achievement from between 1801 and 1816 to the south. Remaining fittings are from 1881.