Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a parish church of medieval origin, with significant alterations during the 1879-81 period. It comprises a nave, chancel, west tower, and a south porch. The walls are primarily flint rubble with stone dressings, with the nave plastered, and the tower is faced in knapped flint with stone admixture. The nave is covered by slate, while the chancel features distinctive zig-zag interlocking tiles.

The tower, dating from circa 1500, is square with three stages and a crenellated parapet displaying good panelled flushwork and carved stone shields. A moulded west doorway is adorned with a hoodmould and carved spandrels, featuring original doors. Above the doorway is a three-light window, and higher still, a smaller two-light window with carved label stops. Three sides of the tower have paired two-light belfry openings; the south face has a single three-light opening positioned next to a stair turret. Flushwork panels are located beneath the belfry lights on all sides.

The nave’s core likely dates to the 12th century, with raised walls added later. The church has 12th-century north and south doorways; the south doorway features two orders of shafts with scalloped capitals and a roll and zig-zag in the arch. The simpler north doorway is blocked and has a single shaft with scalloped capitals and a roll-moulded arch. The nave incorporates a three-bay design, and the chancel has two bays, both featuring restored 15th-century square-headed two-light windows. A priest’s doorway is also present. The east window is a four-light design in the Decorated style, constructed entirely around 1880. A red brick gabled porch, likely from the 18th century, stands on the south side.

Inside, there is no chancel arch. A slightly cambered tie beam marks the junction of the nave and chancel, potentially representing the remains of a rood beam; the tympanum above is plastered. A 14th-century angle piscina is located in the chancel, and a rood loft stair is found in the northeast corner of the nave. The church houses a 15th-century octagonal font with a carved bowl depicting shield-bearing angels alternating with lions. Angels are carved on the underside of the bowl, and four lions are present on the stem. The tapering cover is possibly contemporary though heavily restored. A good carved hexagonal pulpit is present, originally a two-decker. An adjacent panel, formerly a backboard, is inscribed 'NOVE 29 1631'. The nave seating includes thirteen 15th-century benches with poppyhead ends enriched with buttressing and fleurons, alongside other 15th-century benches with plain poppyhead ends. Later additions include six 16th-17th century benches with stylised poppyheads and linenfold carving on the backs. Panelled infilling is seen within the tower arch, behind which is an early 17th-century turned balustrade, possibly once serving as altar rails. The southwest nave window contains numerous re-set fragments of medieval stained glass.