Parish Church Of St Martin

The parish church of St Martin is principally of the late 13th century, with a chancel, nave, and south tower. The top stage of the tower was built or rebuilt in the late 15th century. The church underwent extensive restoration in 1865-6 by J Hicks of Dorchester, resulting in the rebuilding of the north and east walls of the chancel and the chancel arch. A north nave arcade, north aisle, and north vestry were added during the same period. The church is constructed of squared and coursed rubble with Portland stone ashlar dressings, and has clay tile roofs with stone slate eaves.

The chancel’s south wall features two late 13th-century lancet windows, with a blocked 16th-century doorway of chamfered jambs and a segmental-pointed head between them. The east wall has a restored triplet of continuously roll-moulded lancets dating to the 13th century. The north wall contains a reset 13th-century lancet. The nave’s south wall incorporates a renewed 14th-century style window of two trefoiled ogee lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head. The western window is 15th-century, comprising two cinquefoiled lights in a square head with moulded reveals and a label. A third 15th-century window, of three cinquefoiled lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head, is located on the west side. The west doorway has moulded jambs and a four-centred arch with a label, displaying a surviving head stop. The north aisle has three windows. A reset 13th-century archway sits within the east wall of the 19th-century north aisle.

The south tower has two stages divided by a restored string, and three storeys internally. It includes a projecting parapet wall with gargoyles. The ground floor serves as the church porch. The south wall of the tower has a doorway from around 1300 with chamfered jambs and a pointed arch of two chamfered orders. A later blocked window of one trefoiled light is above the doorway. The second storey has a window of two paired pointed lights in the south wall. The bell chamber has an early 16th-century window of two trefoiled lights in a square head with a label.

Inside, the roofs are of arch traced form, supported by carved angel corbels, dating to the 19th century. Notable fittings include a 15th-century octagonal font with a Portland stone bowl, quatrefoils on each face, a panelled stem, and a moulded base. A piscina from around 1300 is located in the chancel. Wall tablets from the 19th century are present in the chancel.