Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is an Anglican parish church largely dating to the early 13th century, with significant alterations in the early 15th century and later Victorian restorations in 1875 by T.H. Wyatt (to the chancel) and J.P. Seddon (to the nave). The church is constructed of flint with bands of limestone ashlar, and has tiled roofs. It comprises a nave, a north aisle with a north porch, a chancel with a south vestry, and a west tower.

The chancel, from the late 12th to early 13th century, features three round-headed windows; two are in the east wall, and a central window is a 19th-century replacement, possibly for a larger 13th-century one. These windows have rebated exteriors and were apparently reset during 19th-century work. The nave was restored in 1875, and a south aisle was removed prior to 1865, blocking the arcade. It features three-light Geometric windows. The north aisle has three tall 19th-century lancet windows with trefoiled heads. The large, three-stage west tower, dating to the 13th century, has a roll-moulded west door and a three-light window with intersecting tracery above. The tower is topped with a crenellated parapet on a corbel table, and includes double rebated lancets to the ringing chamber.

Inside, the chancel has a pointed arch with chevron and billet decoration, which appears original and not reset. Squint arches flanking the chancel have been reduced to pointed arches. The nave has a five-bay roof from the 15th century, replacing an earlier, steeper pitched roof. A 13th-century arcade of four bays exists on the north side, the eastern arch perhaps belonging to a separate chapel. The arcade has round columns and capitals with arches of two chamfered orders. Only three arches of the blocked south arcade remain. A tall arch to the tower rises from widely chamfered imposts and incorporates stone seats. A stair is situated in the north wall. The sanctuary has 19th-century encaustic tiles.

The church contains a good late 12th- to early 13th-century font, octagonal in shape, decorated with foliated crosses, lions, and an Annunciation in a late Romanesque style. It stands on five clustered columns and has a 19th-century wood cover. A 19th-century pulpit, simple piscina, and sedilia are also present. An altar table from the late 16th century and a 19th-century brass altar rail complete the furnishings. A second altar in the north aisle is a 17th-century chest, now containing fragments of a stone wheel cross.

Monumental inscriptions include a Carrara marble wall tablet by W. Marshall, with a swept top, dedicated to Francis Giffard and his wife, who died in 1827. Other tablets are in the vestry (to Thomas Chandler, died 1752) and north aisle, including those to Thomas Alexander (died 1863), Sarah Lampard (died 1837), Simon Jarvis and family, William Alexander (died 1786) and family, and Reverend John Pyke (died 1839). Also present are four brasses erected by the Central Flying School, Upavon, commemorating officers killed on duty in 1913, 1914, and 1927. Three painted wood charity boards relate to enclosure allotments of 1804.