Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a parish church with medieval origins, significantly restored in 1858-9 and again in 1896-1906. It comprises a nave, chancel, north and south aisles, a west tower, a south porch, and a north chapel, now used as a vestry. The exterior is constructed of random flint and stone rubble with stone dressings and plaintiled roofs. The 15th-century west tower features three-stage diagonal buttresses and a crenellated parapet decorated with flushwork. It has a two-light west window and two-light bell chamber openings. The south aisle, dating to the early 16th century, contains two square-headed two-light windows framed by brick surrounds, while the north aisle has three renewed 19th-century two-light windows. The south nave side features five small clerestory windows. A well-preserved 15th-century porch has flushwork decoration to the plinth and facade, a stone parapet with wavy tracery, original pinnacles and an entrance arch with carved spandrels and a niche above. The 13th–14th century chancel has two 19th-century two-light windows in the Decorated style to the south, alongside a priest's doorway, and a three-light east window. A late 18th-century mortuary chapel, belonging to the Vanneck family, adjoins the north side of the chancel and is constructed of red brick with a pierced stone tracery parapet. The three-bay aisle arcades were remodelled, likely in the 18th century (the north arcade more extensively), and a 12th-century window opening remains high in the north nave wall. The nave roof has arched-braced timbering, while the chancel roof features alternate hammerbeams and arched braces; both are likely 15th-century and were elaborately painted in the mid-19th century by Mrs. Holland. A well-preserved 15th-century carved octagonal font stands within the church, alongside a late 19th-century canopied font cover. A tomb chest, set within the arch of an Easter sepulchre in the north chancel, bears a brass inscription to John Paston (died 1575) and contains faint traces of a wall painting. A monument to Anne, daughter of John Moulton (died 1595) is located on the north chancel wall, and a 17th-century wall monument is on the south chancel wall. A hatchment belonging to Joshua Vanneck, 2nd Baron Huntingfield (died 1844) is displayed in the north aisle, while fragments of 15th-century glass survive in the east window of the south aisle. The church is Grade I listed, recognising its substantial surviving medieval fabric.