Parish Church Of St Mary

The Parish Church of St Mary is a historic church located in Haversham, with its origins dating back to the 12th century. The nave was built in the 12th century, while the late 12th-century tower adds to its architectural significance. The chancel was rebuilt in the 13th century, and the south aisle was constructed in the 14th century, later enlarged around 1340. The north aisle, also from the 13th century, was enlarged around 1360, and a south porch was added in the 14th century. The clerestory of the nave was completed in the 15th century. The church is built of coursed rubblestone with limestone dressings and features lead roofs, except for the south porch, which has an old tile roof.

The chancel has a two-bay design with a curvilinear decorated three-light east window, while the other chancel windows are two-light, with square heads on the south side. The southeast chapel contains a 17th-century straight mullion square head east window. The aisle windows are decorated in a flowing style, and the clerestory windows in the three-bay nave are two-light with square heads. The Norman west window features a chevron outer order on columns with volute capitals. The tower includes two-light openings within a round arch and has a battlemented parapet. The south porch features a small east trefoiled window.

Inside, the chancel arch is of chamfered orders and dates to around 1325. The south nave arcade consists of two chamfered orders supported by octagonal piers with moulded capitals, while the east respond has a knot corbel. The north nave arcade, dating to around 1360, mirrors the south but includes a moulded label and head stops. The chancel contains a piscina and an aumbry, and the south chapel features a piscina with trefoiled ogee heads, dating to the 14th century. There are two niches in the east wall of the nave, and the north aisle benches from the 16th century have cut poppy heads on the bench ends.

The church also contains stained glass, including a west window at the south aisle and a chancel window on the north side, with a west window dating to 1496 featuring figures, including St. John the Baptist. The east window of the south chapel contains fragments of figures and a cross from the 15th century, while the east window by J.T. Micklethwaite dates to around 1890. Notable brasses include those of Alice Payn from 1427 and John Maunsell from 1605, featuring a skeleton in the chancel. Monuments in the church include a canopied altar tomb from around 1390 on the north wall of the chancel, featuring an alabaster effigy of a lady and a chest with the south side divided into six trefoiled panels with carved spandrels, along with an angel holding tablets and two central panels depicting men in civilian dress. The stone recess features openwork cusping and an ogee gable.