Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a Grade I listed building that dates from the 12th century, with elements from the 15th century and mid-19th century. This Norman church features a nave, chancel, and a western tower that is the same width as the nave. An added north aisle and a small vestry on the north-east corner were part of a restoration in 1850 by architect Woodyer.

The chancel has two deeply-splayed windows on each side, adorned with zig-zag ornament surrounds. The nave windows feature plate tracery above coupled cusped lights on the south side and smaller lights in the aisles, also dating from 1850. The nave arcade consists of pointed arches supported by two massive octagonal piers with simply-decorated caps.

Notable architectural features include three exceptionally decorated Norman arches: the narrow chancel arch is embellished with a series of decorative motifs, including zig-zags, and is supported by attached columns; the tower arch has mouldings with a simpler treatment of attached columns; and the south doorway is highly ornate, featuring zig-zag stages and acanthus motifs, also resting on attached columns. A small north door has been re-used in the later aisle. The south porch dates from the 15th century.

Inside, the church contains a Norman font, a Jacobean pulpit, 18th-century altar rails, and several wall monuments. The exterior is characterized by a red tile roof, flint walling with stone quoins, and a cement finish on the lower part of the massive tower. The tower is topped by a restored rubble stone bell stage that has round-arched coupled openings and a pyramid roof.