Church Of St Mary Magdalene

The Church of St. Mary Magdalene is a church dating back to the 12th century, with significant additions and alterations in the 14th and 15th centuries. It was restored around 1665 and largely rebuilt in the 19th century (c.1861) by Sir George Gilbert Scott for Sir Henry Dashwood. The building is constructed of coursed squared marlstone and limestone, with some banding and limestone- and marlstone-ashlar dressings, and has a Stonesfield-slate roof.

The church comprises a chancel, nave, north-east vestry, north aisle, south porch, and a west tower. The 19th-century chancel incorporates a re-used 3-light window with Perpendicular tracery and a 13th-century lancet. The north aisle and vestry include earlier windows, including a 2-light 14th-century window with ogee tracery and a large 15th-century 3-light window. The west wall of the nave and porch are from an earlier period, possibly partly 17th century, featuring a 3-light 14th-century window and a 2-light 17th-century window. The porch, with a 19th-century arch, shelters a small late 12th-century door with a moulded arch. Inscribed on the porch gable is the statement "Tower and Porch/Rebuilt Anno 1665/The Church/Restored A.D.1861." The banded, three-stage tower incorporates a 14th-century west door with wave mouldings and 17th-century square-headed windows. One pinnacle is inscribed "This/bee/built/166(?)".

Inside, the walls are of 19th-century banded stonework. The 19th-century arch to the vestry and chancel arch are adorned with moulded corbels rising from carved heads. A late 14th-century, three-bay nave arcade features octagonal columns with richly-moulded quatrefoil capitals and carved heads. A three-order tower arch is partially medieval. The roofs are 19th century. Fittings include an elaborate, circa 1900, painted and gilded screen and a 12th-century tub font with chevron and arcaded decoration. Fragments of medieval sculpture and a canopy have been re-set near the chancel arch, and 19th-century stained glass is in the east window.