Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a parish church containing 13th-century origins, with details from the 12th century, a 14th-century chapel, and a restoration in 1855-6 by R.C. Hussey. It is constructed from flint with plain tiled roofs and a slate spire. The church comprises a nave and aisles, a chancel with a south chapel, a south-western tower, and a west porch. The west doorway, reset from the 12th century, features moulded surrounds with a railhead and keel roll on attached and clasped shafts, which have acanthine capitals and a billet moulded hood-mould. A 19th-century flint porch has been added. The south-west tower is two stories high with heavy offset buttresses, with the buttress to the south-east rebuilt in brick. Round-headed belfry lights are present. Most of the 15th-century Perpendicular windows have been restored, except for the 14th-century bar tracery windows in the south chapel and two 13th-century lancets in the chancel north wall, which feature two blocked quatrefoils in the chancel east wall. The north nave aisle is entirely 19th century and includes a vestry to the north-west. Internally, the nave has a three-bay arcade and a single unarcaded western bay. The chamfered arches are supported by round piers, and were reconstructed by Hussey, who either re-used or copied the moulded capitals, differing with each capital. The roof is a 19th-century design with four trussed crown posts. A double-chamfered 19th-century chancel arch is present. The south aisle features a 14th-century chamfered arch to the south chapel. The south chapel of St Katherine has a roof exposing three tie beams and a two-bay double hollow-chamfered arcade to the chancel, resting on hollowed octagonal piers. The chancel wall is heavily battered and thicker in the west bay, with two 13th-century lancets on the north side and a 13th-century roll-moulded reveal to a 19th-century inserted east window. A waggon roof is present. Fittings include a 13th-century trefoil-headed triple sedilia and piscina in the chancel, with colonnettes, deeply moulded capitals, and mouldings under a continuous hood-mould. A double aumbry is on the north chancel wall, along with four chamfered trefoil-headed recesses on carved corbels and brackets, likely for choir stalls or musicians. There are 19th-century box pews with brass triple candle holders, and a 19th-century font. A late 17th-century wooden parish chest is also present. Glass dating from 1863 by Powell and Sons is in the chancel lancet. A wall plaque to William Wickens, d.1718, is in the chancel, featuring a black rectangular field with a Latin inscription, a white marble surround, a cartouche above, and a base with a cherub's head and motto. In the south chapel, a standing wall monument commemorates Martin James, d.1592, depicting a knight and two sons kneeling opposite a reading desk, with the wife and two daughters facing them. The architectural surround has a cornice on Corinthian columns, carrying obelisks and a central achievement, all carved on a small but detailed scale.