Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a parish church, primarily dating from the 15th century, with a core from around 1200 or earlier. It comprises a nave, chancel, west tower, and south porch. The main fabric is of flint rubble, plastered on the south and east sides. The tower is of flint and brick rubble, with the belfry stage rebuilt in 16th-century orange brick. Dressings are of freestone, and the roofs are plaintiled, with the tower roof being flat behind parapets.

Two features date back to around 1200: a lancet window in the north chancel wall, and the south doorway, which has an equilateral arch, a hoodmould, and chamfered jambs and imposts. A good 15th-century door features moulded muntins. The south porch is of 14th-century origin but was almost entirely rebuilt in the 20th century; the entrance has a heavy two-centred doorway and posts indicating traces of what were previously traceried side-lights. The majority of windows are 15th-century, 3-light designs, although the west window is unusually large, with 5 lights. The tower was built on the west end of the nave in the 15th century.

Complete early 16th-century roofs remain. In the nave, these feature octagonal crownposts with moulded capitals, alongside moulded tie-beams and cornices. Other 16th-century work includes a south window with triple ogee-headed lights, and the remains of a ruined rood-loft stair on the north side. The font is of Purbeck marble, dating from the 13th century, with an octagonal bowl featuring a pair of shallow arches on each face, and an oak cover with an acorn finial from the 17th century.

A selection of oak furnishings from various periods survive, largely untouched since the 18th century, including sets of benches – one 15th-century example with carved animals on the buttresses. Most other benches date from the 16th century, with further augmentation and rearrangement in the 17th. Fragments of a 15th-century rood screen remain, incorporated into 17th-century box pews, two of which have tracery from the screen’s head. The 17th-century pulpit is plain but the reading desk is enriched with arcading, with all the 17th-century work exhibiting interesting ironmongery. Iron communion rails are present, dating from around 1830.

A number of monuments and floor slabs are also present. A monument to Henrietta Robins (died 1728) is situated blocking the outer face of a 14th-century window. In the chancel stand monuments to Edmund (died 1548) and Myrabel Poley (died 1558), featuring a coloured achievement and obelisks, with further family additions up to 1604, and another to Sir Henry Poley (died 1707), with Baroque modelling. 18th-century panels over the sanctuary display the Ten Commandments, Creed, and Lord's Prayer. In the chancel are 14 marble floor slabs from the 17th and 18th century, primarily bearing achievements of the Poley family, one with an inset brass. In the nave are five others, three of which originally had brasses. A 13th-century coffin-shaped slab inside the south door has an inscription around its border.