Church Of St Mary Magdelene

The Church of St. Mary Magdalene is a medieval parish church, substantially restored in the 19th century. The initial restoration was undertaken by S.S. Teulon in 1855, followed by works by A. Blomfield in 1890. The church is constructed of dark shell carstone with stone dressings, and has a tiled roof.

The original structure comprises a west tower, nave, chancel, and a south porch. Later additions include a south transept, a north aisle, and an organ bay, along with a vestibule to the south chancel. The tower features stepped diagonal buttresses, an embattled parapet with carstone flushwork, crocketted finials, a gargoyle to the south, and a polygonal turret to the south-east. The west window is of three lights with panel tracery under a basket head. Rectangular sound holes, segmental headed traceried double square bell openings, and a clock face of 1898 are present on all four sides.

The 15th-century porch is two-storied and incorporates diagonal buttresses, a 4-centred arch with partly renewed round shafts, carstone flushwork, a tall niche above with an ogee head and flanking trefoil-headed lights. Single trefoil-headed lights are found to the porch returns. Inside the porch, a renewed roof covers the upper storey, and a reset marble slab with brass arms and an inscription relating to Wm. Cobbis, 1546, is now set into the wall. A south doorway displays a continuous moulded 4-centred arch. A south nave window is of three lights with panel tracery under a 4-centred head.

The south transept of 1890 features a similar window, both with figure stops. A two-light window with panel tracery is located to the east of the transept. The south chancel has a single light with tracery of two daggers. The c.1896 vestibule, constructed in carstone, provides a private entrance for Her Majesty Queen, and includes a two-light window and a door; it is distinguished by a stone embattled parapet. C19 set back angle buttresses are present along the chancel, as is a three-light window with panel tracery (1909).

The 19th-century additions to the north include a vestry with an embattled parapet, a two-bay north aisle with two gables and windows mirroring the south aisle, and a gabled organ bay with a blocked doorway. Diagonal buttresses are present on all these additions. Gable crosses are present on the porch, chancel, and nave.

The interior features an arch braced nave roof with angel corbels, gilded bosses and a quatrefoil frieze (1921). Continuous 4-centred arches define the two-bay north arcade and connect to the south transept of 1890. An arch in the north aisle separates the bays. The chamfered chancel arch has polygonal jambs, and the chancel roof, painted in a hammerbeam style, dates from 1890. A tall tower arch displays continuous roll and wave mouldings. The nave is panelled, while the chancel has C15-style painted panelling, Gothick canopies and depictions of saints (1920). The tower is panelled with a gilded frieze and angels. 15th-century stained glass depicting saints is found in the tracery panels of the south window and the north west window of the aisle, with some 17th-century glass in the north aisle. A silver reredos of 1911 commemorates Edward VII, and a silver altar of 1920 incorporates the Royal achievement. Metal rails with silver angels are present, and a "Wineglass" pulpit of 1924 features silver panels. Ten relief rondels around the walls depict members of the Royal family from Princess Alice (1879) to King George VI (1952) in bronze.