Church Of St Mary The Virgin

HAUGHLEY DUKE STREET (NORTH SIDE) TM 0262

8/68 Church of St. Mary the - Virgin 9/12/55 (formerly listed as Church of GV I St Mary)

Parish church, mainly mid C14 and late C15. Flint and septaria rubble, some areas also with limestone rubble. Freestone dressings. Nave and chancel roofs slated, aisle and tower roofs flat with parapets. Nave, chancel, south aisle and south-west tower. Vestry and organ chamber added to north side in mid C19. Tower of c.1330 contains main entrance: a moulded and shafted outer doorway, small moulded Y-traceried windows to east and west. Y-traceried belfry windows with grotesque gargoyles above. Richly moulded inner doorway of early C14; a pair of original doors with ovolo-moulded fillets and a cross- battening. The ringing chamber floor is original. A wooden doorframe in the outer doorway is dated 1699, with flanking initials; the 1st floor (probably of same date) is constructed partly from components of a medieval rood screen. South aisle of mid C14: four windows have curvilinear tracery, and there is a cusped-headed piscina. A 5-bay nave arcade with octagonal piers with moulded capitals; the wide chancel arch is similar. The chancel has a C14 south doorway, and a piscina with pierced traceried spandrels. Nave much remodelled in C15 when the clerestory was added and fine 5-bay roof built: cambered tie beams with curved queenstruts to principal rafters; secondary trusses have arch braced principals and braces clasping ridge; there are no collars. Fine carved bosses at intersections, and embattling to tie-beams and cornice. The lean-to aisle roof is similar with 3 tiers of purlins, restored angels at the wallposts, and much cresting. C15 chancel windows, restored in C19. Good C15 font, octagonal limestone, with emblems of the evangelists alternating with shield-bearing angels, and around the stem lions and wild men. In the chancel is an C18 marble slab with well-carved achievment; and 4 others in the sanctuary to C18 members of the Ray family. About 10 other slabs in the nave, 7 of which have brass indents of C16/C17. A wall monument in the nave to Robert Offwood, d.1756 and his wife and 3 infants. Two other wall monuments of early C18 in the aisle. 5 painted hatchments on the nave walls.

Listing NGR: TM0261262307