Church Of St Mary

TM 26 SW EARL SOHAM CHURCH LANE

8/41 Church of St. 7.12.66 Mary

GV I

Parish church. Medieval, restored 1891. Nave, chancel, west tower, south porch. Random flint and stone rubble, knapped flint tower, plastered nave; lead roof to nave, plaintiles to chancel. Good late C15 tower with 4-stage diagonal buttresses, the 2 western buttresses with original inscriptions; crenellated parapet; flushwork to plinth, buttresses and parapet; fine west doorway with 2 orders of carving to the arch, hoodmould with carved spandrels and original door; 3-light west window with trefoil-headed, ogee-canopied empty niches to either side and empty canopied niche above; 2-light bell chamber openings. Late C15 nave of 3 bays with mostly original windows; late C15 porch with rough flushwork chequering and an original figure at the apex of the gable; good south nave doorway with fleurons to the jambs, arch and hoodmould, carved spandrels and original door. Early C14 chancel of 2 bays with 2-light Y tracery windows; Priest's doorway to south; C19 east end with 3-light window in Decorated style. Fine original double hammerbeam nave roof of 6 bays with carved cornice and a figure against each wallpost under an ogee arch. C15 octagonal font with carved bowl and stem, original inscription on base; C17 font cover. Set of 26 poppyhead nave benches with traceried ends, installed 1940: some C15 work but much C20 restoration and renewal; good C17 pulpit complete with tester; Arms of Charles II in south nave; mid C17 turned alter rails; piscina under moulded ogee arch in sanctuary. Graded I for surviving medieval work.

Listing NGR: TM2364663284