Church Of St John The Baptist

The Church of St John the Baptist is a small, attractive country church of great importance due to its largely unrestored interior. It has a Saxon core, expanded probably in connection with the refoundation of 1205, and with later 13th-century work. It was restored but not altered in 1888-89 by the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Buildings, with J.T. Micklethwaite as architect and William Morris providing assistance.

The church comprises an aisled nave with a south porch and a western bellcote, and an aisleless chancel partly flanked on the south side by a chapel. It is built of rendered rubble with a parapet and head spouts, and has a stone slate roof. Small diagonal buttresses are present. There are traces of a sanctuary belfry on the ridge. The mid-to-late 13th-century double bellcote features pointed trefoiled lights and a circle, reminiscent of the south windows of the east end and the triple east window. A Perpendicular square-headed two-light window is located on the south aisle, the south-east window being a 17th-century insertion. The north door is 15th century, but incorporates earlier work with a rounded trefoil head. A deep south porch, possibly 16th century, has a foiled niche over the entrance. The south door, featuring a roll mould and strap imposts, is likely Saxon or late 11th century and has been reset.

The interior is particularly noteworthy, featuring numerous 14th- and 15th-century parclose screens, high box pews (mostly cut down in the 17th century), and 13th-century smart foiled rere-arches to the north door and east window. Tall arcades display trumpet and stiff leaf capitals, corresponding to the date of the refoundation, although the south arcade is partly older. A very important late Saxon Madonna and Child relief is set into the wall of the south chapel, having previously been located outside; a scratch dial is visible on it. There are remains of wall painting, particularly to the chancel arch (likely early to mid-14th century), and fragments of stained glass are also present. A 15th-century font is found within. The chancel contains a three-bay sedilia, one aumbry, a foiled piscina, two arched recesses, and part of a reredos within the sanctuary. A 17th-century communion rail and table, which have been remodelled, are also present. The medieval north door has long strap hinges. A pulpit and tester dating to around 1630 are also included. A Tournai marble slab displaying a knight from around 1300 is located in the chancel and lacks its original brass. The church features a single-framed chancel roof, potentially dating to the 13th century, along with a later medieval queen-post and wind-brace nave roof.

The churchyard contains numerous headstones, several with carved cherubs of the 17th and 18th centuries. A number of chest-tombs are grouped to the south and east.