Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a parish church located on the west side of Shenley Road in Shenley Church End. The western wall and outer walls of the transept date back to the 12th century, while the chancel and south arcade are from the late 12th century. The north arcade, south side of the clerestory, and aisles were constructed in the 14th century, with the tower added in the 15th century and the south porch in the 17th century. The church underwent restoration between 1888 and 1890.

It features coursed rubble limestone and has a cruciform plan with battlemented parapets on the lead roofs of the nave, tower, and chancel, while the aisles and porch have plain parapets and the transepts are covered with tiles. The chancel includes deeply recessed side lancets with roll moulding on the inner arch, slender shafts with plain caps supporting toothed chevroned outer arches. Externally, these windows have shafts that support moulded arches, with strings at the cap and cill levels.

Inside, the altar rails date from the 17th to 18th centuries, and the crossing beneath the central tower likely dates to the 14th century. The north transept contains a Perpendicular window and a 17th-century altar table. The nave arcades consist of three principal bays and one smaller bay, with the south arcade featuring round piers and plain caps, as well as hoods with toothed moulding. The clerestory has three windows on each side, and the timber roof is from the 15th century, restored. The large west window of the nave is also Perpendicular in style.

The font is octagonal, and there is a panel displaying the Royal Arms of George III. Notable monuments include one to Edmund Ashfyld from 1577, featuring a sarcophagus in a recess supported by three Corinthian columns—one of jasper and two of porphyry—under an entablature and broken pediment with a central coat of arms. In the north aisle, there is a monument to Thomas Stafford from 1607, which includes a recumbent effigy on a base with a central figure of his wife flanked by children, all carved in relief. This is accompanied by an inscription panel and side panels supporting a cornice with side scrolls and a coat of arms above. Additionally, there are 18th-century monuments dedicated to members of the Stafford family and former rectors.