Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a church located on High Street, Haverhill. The west tower dates to the 14th century, with its upper stages in the Perpendicular style. The remainder of the church displays some evidence of the 13th century, but was largely rebuilt in the 15th century and restored following a fire in 1667. A major restoration occurred in 1867 by Elmslie & Franey, involving the rebuilding of the nave arcades and refurbishment of the roofs. Further restoration took place between 1908 and 1909 by HB Thake, which extended the north aisle to the east end and added two vestries.

The church is constructed of flint with conglomerate and ashlar dressings, and has plain tile roofs. The exterior features a three-stage tower with a 19th-century mouchette (small window) on the west side. It includes diagonal buttresses on the west side and side buttresses on the east. The ringing chamber has slit windows, and the belfry openings are transomed and two-light, with a crenellated parapet. A polygonal stair turret is located to the south-east, with an inscription indicating reconstruction in 1755. The north doorway, dating to 1867, has a square hood with quatrefoils and dragons in the spandrels. The north aisle has four three-light Perpendicular windows, with a plain aisle parapet. A rood stair turret developed into a polygonal turret in the 19th century. The south aisle features four four-light windows and one four-light west aisle window, also with a crenellated parapet. A 15th-century south porch, restored, has stepped diagonal buttresses with pinnacles, a four-centred outer arch, and a four-centred inner doorway with minimal shields in the spandrels. It also has two-light windows on the east and west sides. The priests' door was blocked with brick in the 20th century. The north and south clerestories have five two-light Perpendicular windows. The chancel has a five-light Perpendicular east window of 19th-century origin. The north vestries have Tudor details.

Inside, the church features five-bay nave arcades with quatrefoil piers on tall polygonal bases, supporting double-chamfered arches. The two west bays of the nave are screened off. The early 14th-century tower arch consists of quatrefoil responds and a double-chamfered arch. A polygonal respond leads to the chancel arch, which has a hollow and chamfered arch. A north pier is pierced by a cusped and subcusped doorway. The two-bay chancel arcade, with the north arcade dating to 1908, has quatrefoil piers and wave-moulded arches. The nave and aisle roofs are panelled, while the chancel has a boarded four-centred vault. A font with an early 16th-century octagonal bowl, decorated with cusped foliate circles alternating with Perpendicular tracery patterns, sits on a 19th-century stem. A monument to John Ward, who died in 1602, is located on the north chancel wall and features a bulbous strapwork obelisk framing two inscription tablets above a pendant apron, both with extensive inscriptions.