Parish Church Of St Mary The Virgin

The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin is an aisled church featuring a clerestory, north and south chancel chapels, and a Perpendicular tower at the west end of the north aisle. Its origins date back to the 13th century, although the exterior reflects Perpendicular and 19th-century styles. The church has 13th-century arcades that were rebuilt and heightened in the 14th and 15th centuries, with the northeast chapel constructed in 1460. The south aisle was rebuilt in 1789, and a second north aisle was added by Benjamin Ferrey in 1853-1854 in the Decorated style. Ferrey also replaced the windows and added a clerestory.

Inside, there is a 17th-century font that is no longer in use, alongside an active Victorian font. A rood screen from 1920 was created by G. H. Fellowes Prynne, and there are elaborate wrought iron Victorian screens on the north and south sides of the chancel. The chancel features a painted shield and stencilling from 1890, and a monument to Dame Elizabeth Periam from 1621 includes an effigy that is stylistically advanced for its time. Much of the stained glass is Victorian, primarily from 1890 by Lavers & Westlake.

Historically, a charter from 1272 granting indulgences to those who contributed to the church's construction or repair marks an important date in its history. Although little remains from the Early English phase, the church underwent significant remodelling around 1400. The tower is traditionally attributed to John Longland, Bishop of Lincoln from 1521 to 1547. The Parish Church of St Mary is a multi-phased medieval structure with important later additions and fittings, situated within notable groups on Church Avenue, Hart Street, and at the bridgehead of Hart Street and Thameside Junction.