Church Of St Mary

TM 36 SW PARHAM HALL ROAD

4/149 Church of 7.12.66 St. Mary

GV I

Parish church. Medieval, the nave and tower probably late C14 for William de Ufford, second Earl of Suffolk; restored 1886-8. Nave, chancel, west tower, north porch (now the vestry). Random flint rubble, the chancel plastered, stone dressings; lead roof to nave, felted roof to chancel. Square tower with flat stone parapet and 4-stage buttresses; chequered flushwork to plinth and buttresses; the west face has a finely moulded doorway, 2-light window and a large niche for 3 images with cusped arch and gable with finial and buttress shafts. One-light cinquefoil-headed bell chamber openings except west face which has a 2-light square-headed opening. 3-bay nave with flat parapet and buttresses with flushwork. South nave with tall 2-light windows without tracery, probably C19; north nave with 2 good C15 windows and one further C19 window. Good C15 porch, the facade and crenellated parapet with panel led flushwork; enriched plinth; carved spandrels to doorway with niche above; original door to nave. C15 2-bay chancel: 2-light windows with 3-light east window. Priest's doorway to north with the Ufford arms above. 5-bay nave roof, the wall posts resting on C14 carved corbels; 3- bay chancel roof; both roofs seem largely C19. Early C15 octagonal font, the bowl carved with traceried panels and shields of the Ufford and Willoughby families. The nave has a cinquefoil- headed piscina (south wall), rood loft stairs (north wall) and 2 pointed niches either side of the chancel arch. Good set of late C19 poppyhead benches. C15 painted wooden rood screen. 2 C15 benches in chancel; mid C17 altar rails with poor box attached by a chain; south sanctuary with piscina and drop-seat sedilia; in the north sanctuary are 12 stone heraldic shields of local families, probably brought from a monument elsewhere; reredos with painted panel and re-used C17 woodwork. 2 hatchments in chancel. Royal Arms of Charles II over north nave door. Several C17-C19 ledger slabs in chancel. East window with fragments of C15 glass. Graded I for surviving medieval fabric, especially tower and porch.

Listing NGR: TM3095160507