Church Of St Mary Magdalene

Church of St Mary Magdalene, Sunbury-on-Thames

A parish church with 12th-century origins, substantially developed through the medieval period and later updated. The building comprises a nave with clerestory and side aisles, a chancel to the east, a tower to the west, a south porch, and north vestries (former burial chapels). The structure is built in ragstone, chalk and conglomerate on the nave; the tower uses brown brick to its lower stages, russet brick to the top, and the clerestory features orange-red brick with chequerboard brickwork and vitrified headers on the north chancel chapel. The roofs are plain tiles.

The chancel and south aisle date to the 13th century, the north aisle to the 14th century, and the clerestory to the 16th century. The tower was raised in the 18th century. North chancel chapels (now vestries) were added in 1705 and circa 1730. Extensive restoration occurred in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The west tower is four stages tall with plat bands across each stage and on the plinth below, topped by a battlemented parapet. The upper stage features quatre-foil windows on each face in the rebuilt section. A 3-light diamond brick mullion lancet window sits on the west side of the second stage, with two-light windows to the north and south. The first stage has four-centre arched-head lancet windows with chamfered surrounds on the north and south sides, and a three-light window to the west. West doors are set in a 4-centred arched surround with impost blocks.

The north side features a buttressed pentice-roofed aisle with 19th-century fenestration, including a restored lancet on the west face, an ogee section 2-light window, and one blocked window on either side of a buttress. Parallel hip-roofed and gable-end ranges to the north-east originally served as burial chapels for the Wood family.

The south side of the nave shows deep coved plaster eaves. The chancel's south side is buttressed to the east. A 2-light trefoil-head lancet opens to the east with a chamfered 2-step surround; a pointed-arch lancet window with chamfered surround sits east of the pentice pier. Two lancets occupy the position of earlier windows, whose surrounds remain visible, to the west of the pier. A 19th-century window sits at the east end, while an earlier squint window in an old surround occupies the angle with the chancel.

The east end displays a double gable with a 19th-century 3-light lancet window beneath a brick relieving arch with hood moulding and human head corbels. An 18th-century gable to the right carries a plat band and a square sundial.

The south porch is gabled with 4-centred arched-head windows to each return wall. Its roof dates to the 16th century and features a moulded spine beam and cross beams on braces, with chamfered joists. Double studded doors in chamfered surrounds provide entry.

Interior: Two original lancets to the north of the chancel have deep splays beneath a crown post roof. The chancel arch preserves old work with two pointed orders and chamfered arches. An early 14th-century octagonal centre column supports the north nave arcade with moulded strings on the inner order only. The south arcade has a large circular column with two pointed and chamfered orders and semi-octagonal responds. A blocked pointed 14th-century doorway in the north wall now concealed by a window.

Fittings include a late medieval locker in the south wall of the south aisle. Fifteenth-century choir stalls feature cusped ogee arches and spandrel panelling, said to have come from Winchester. A complete set of late medieval pews survives (heavily restored), and a very restored rood screen of circa 1500. A fine Flemish altar rail with C-scroll carving on newels and rich carving depicting the Ten Commandments and eagles in the chancel dates to circa 1700. An early 18th-century wooden pulpit features arcaded tracery and a small narrow high window in the south-east angle between nave and chancel to provide light. An octagonal stone font with an elaborate quatrefoil pierced and crocketed font cover of ogee domed section above stands on a square pier. A hatchment hangs on the north tower wall. Italian Trecento paintings of six panels depicting six saints appear on the north and south walls at the west end of the nave. Three bells were cast by W. Eldridge in 1666.