Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a parish church dating primarily to the 14th and 19th centuries. It is constructed of random kidney flint with freestone dressings, and has slate and clay plain tiles on the nave and porch roofs respectively. The church includes a west end bellcote, a south porch, and a south-chancel vestry—all except the chancel are of Victorian origin. Stepped buttresses mark the nave, with diagonal buttresses at the east end of the chancel. Ornate crosses are situated at the east end, above the chancel arch, and surmounting the bellcote. The nave was rebuilt in 1877 and features two-light windows with plate tracery. A blocked 14th century north doorway is retained, displaying a chamfered continuous arch. The 14th century chancel has a base of walls with alternating squares of black knapped flint and freestone, and includes two two-light windows to the north and south with four-petalled flower tracery in their heads. The restored 1887 east window is three-lighted, with a large circle enclosing four unencircled quatrefoils. The church's interior fittings are largely Victorian. A fine octagonal 14th century font recalls that at Badwell Ash, with a high base, a shaft featuring trefoil panelling on each face, a bowl decorated with alternating shields and grotesque faces in ogee-headed panels, and a crenellated top. Rood stairs are located on the north side of the chancel arch. A fine, albeit damaged, screen is present, displaying tracery and remnants of colouring on its base, along with ogee-headed single light divisions with droplets, close panel tracery above, a coving, and a reset section of the original traceried loft parapet. Niches with flamboyant ogee heads are positioned on either side of the east window. The piscina in the south wall has a restored cusped ogee head with "HK 1875" inscribed upon it. The chancel windows contain old crown glass, predominantly in diamond-leaded panes. A small brass memorial is affixed to the north wall of the nave, commemorating John Jolley (died 1630), a benefactor to the poor of Langham. The vestry, situated south of the chancel, has a crenellated top with plain flushwork panels. An external doorway, seemingly the reused 14th century priest's doorway, features a continuous arch with chamfered moulding and a hoodmould.