Church Of St Mary

Church of St Mary

Parish church comprising an 11th and 12th century nave and tower, with a 13th century chancel and north transept. The tower was partly rebuilt in the late 17th or early 18th century. The church was restored, and a porch and north aisle were added or rebuilt in the 19th century.

The building is constructed of knapped flint incorporating some Roman tiles, with limestone quoins. The tower has brick quoins and bands. The roof is mostly of red tiles, with graduated stone slates on the aisles and south side of the chancel.

The plan comprises a 3-bay nave with full-height north and south aisles under catslide roofs. The south aisle embraces the tower at the junction with the chancel, which overlaps it slightly. A north porch, north transept, and south tower are positioned opposite each other, with a chancel to the east.

The 3-stage tower, with each upper stage slightly set back above a weathered band of moulded brick, has large diagonal buttresses to the exposed corners, each with 3 brick-clad offsets. At ground floor are 2 restored round-headed lancets. The 2nd stage has a similar lancet with a chamfered brick surround. The 3rd stage has a similar but taller belfry window on each side, with wooden louvres, and above that on the south side a deep band of diapering. The tower is crowned by an embattled parapet.

The west end of the nave has a large 19th century 2-centred arched 3-light window. A vertical joint to the right of this window shows that the south aisle was an addition at the time it was rebuilt, confirmed by evidence of picture hanging inside the church. Both aisles have 19th century coupled lancets. The centre of the north aisle has a 19th century gabled porch with a deeply-moulded 2-centred arched outer doorway protecting a 13th century 2-centred arched inner doorway with double-chamfered surround.

The tall gabled north transept has a large 14th century 2-light window in the gable wall with trefoil lights and mouchette tracery, and 2 chamfered lancets in the east side.

The chancel has 2 similar lancets on its east side, a 19th century 3-light east window, and a large 15th century square-headed window on the south side with 3 cinquefoil lights, chamfered surround, and hood mould.

Interior

The south arcade comprises 3 Norman bays with massive circular piers and semicircular responds with scalloped square caps, and semicircular arches. Above the 1st pier is a deeply splayed 11th century window. The north arcade dates to the 13th century and has 2 wider 2-centred chamfered arches on octagonal columns without capitals.

A large 2-centred double-chamfered arch leads to the transept, which has a wide arched altar recess with dog-tooth enrichment and a triangular-headed piscina. To the left of the chancel arch are remains of a similar but smaller recess.

In the south pier of the chancel arch is a small 2-centred arched doorway to stone spiral stairs that formerly led to a rood loft. The corresponding upper doorway in the west side of the pier is now blocked.

The lancet windows in the transept and chancel have deep splays. The chancel contains tripartite sedilia with polished colonettes (probably 19th century) and a piscina with wooden shelf. Wall monuments commemorate Anthony Rous (died 1631) and Henry Vincent (died 1631). The latter includes a praying bust with an open book within a cartouche with Corinthian colonettes.

In the left side of the porch is a large lettered tablet dated 1717 recording details of a charitable trust.