Parish Church (St Mary)

The parish church of St Mary is located in Catherston Leweston and was built between 1857 and 1858 by J.L. Pearson. It was commissioned by R.L. Hildyard, the lord of Catherston Manor. The church comprises a nave and chancel, a north vestry, and entry via a west door. The walls are of knapped chert, with closely fitted stones, and are contrasted with stone used for plinths, buttresses, strings, gable copings, cornices, and window tracery. The roof is tiled with copings on the west gable, the nave/chancel divide, and the east end; these copings feature gableted kneelers. A stone sanctus bell-cote sits above the west gable, featuring a sunk trefoil and a stone cross. A cross-in-wheel is located over the middle coping, and a small cross with trefoil terminals is above the east coping. The west elevation is notable for its good west doorway, which has three orders of responds with naturalistic foliage capitals and keeled roll mouldings to the pointed arch. The label features naturalistic foliage stops. A four-light west window incorporates geometric tracery. The north elevation has four bays of mullion windows with geometric tracery heads. The east end features a frieze of sunk quatrefoils around its perimeter, and the east window is a three-light design with respond-jambs and sexfoil geometrical tracery above. A memorial tablet commemorates R.C. Hildyard (died 1857) and R.H. Hildyard (died 1876).

Inside, the nave roof is of arch-braced construction, characterized by high collars, two sets of wind-braces (the lower acting as ashlaring), and longitudinal ridge-bracing. Five bays of the roof are supported by stone corbels carved with angel-musicians. The chancel roof has a similar form, covering three bays. The chancel arch has a single respond with naturalistic foliage capitals and a high pointed arch. The east wall of the chancel features a diaper pattern of carved paterae behind the altar and on the reredos. The integral reredos consists of three trefoil-cusped arches resting on marbled colonettes, with a running foliage string-course above. A credence shelf is located below the north window, and sedilia are below the south window. The font, crafted from Beerstone, has an octagonal bowl depicting scenes from Christ’s Ministry, a Latin inscription, and a date of 1858. The stone pulpit is octagonal, with pointed arches in a square panel carried on marble colonettes. Good quality stained glass, in the Decorated style and dating from 1858, is by Clayton & Bell; the east window depicts scenes from Christ's Passion, and the west window portrays scenes from the life of the Virgin. The altar rail features twisted-iron shafts and running foliage spandrels. Oak choir stalls incorporate details in the 13th century style. An ironwork candelabrum is at the priest's desk.