Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a parish church dating from 1876-80, designed by W White. It is constructed of flint with tile bands and stone dressings, featuring an old plain tile roof and a shingled spire. The plan includes a chancel, a north-west vestry on the end of the north aisle, and a tower in the north-west corner. A plinth is present with stone offsets and two thin tile bands near the top and bottom of the windows throughout the church. The east end of the chancel features a tall three-light trefoiled window, mirrored in the east end of the vestry, with stepped buttresses on either side. The south wall incorporates two lancets, with a pointed doorway between them, featuring a trefoiled light above. The nave's south wall displays stepped buttresses at the east and west ends, flanking a trefoiled two-light window with a trefoil in its head. A central three-light trefoiled window is followed by a gabled timber porch on stone and flint walls, incorporating carved gates under a round arch and a crown post above, with a trefoiled lancet to the west side. A three-light trefoiled window with a quatrefoil in its head is positioned in the west wall. The north wall features a trefoiled lancet in the vestry, and two trefoiled two-light windows, each also with a quatrefoil in the head, flanking a chimney with a buttress extending above the eaves. A pointed two-order door is located to the west. The north-west tower displays two lancets on the bottom stage to the west, a quatrefoil to the north in the middle stage, and a lancet to the west. There are two bell openings on each face of the top stage, each featuring large shingled louvres, surmounted by a squat broach spire with a vane. A tall north buttress stands in the northeast corner. The interior retains its original features. The chancel contains a reredos, a panelled sanctuary, and 17th-century altar rails with turned balusters, moulded hand rails, and base rails. Stained glass by Mayer of Munich is also present. 15th-century encaustic tiles have been reset behind the altar. The roof incorporates horizontally set angels on corbels to arched braces. The vestry contains pieces of 15th-century stonework, along with a 13th-century window and piscina. A pointed chancel arch is distinguished by lily and rose capitals. A timber screen is also in place. A medieval coffin lid is set into the floor in the northeast of the north aisle. The arcade consists of three bays with pointed arches on round columns. Two corona-lucis survive. The roof has arched braces with ties to the inner trusses, and angels on corbels. The font, located by the south door, has been restored from the 15th century and features an octagonal bowl on an octagonal shaft and base. Bells bearing the dates 1591 and 1617 are also present.