Church Of St Mary Magdalene

Church of St Mary Magdalene, Twyning

This is an Anglican parish church of the 12th and 15th centuries, extensively restored and with the chancel rebuilt in 1867–68 by architect John Middleton. The church is built of limestone and sandstone rubble, with the tower constructed of coursed squared and dressed limestone. The roof is of red tile.

The church comprises a nave with a projecting north porch, a chancel with vestry at right angles on the north, and a west tower.

The nave's north wall features 12th-century pilaster buttresses in dressed limestone and sandstone. Two pilasters to the left of the projecting porch display alternating bands of limestone and green sandstone towards their bases. A pilaster buttress at the west end incorporates a sandstone column at the north-west corner. The wall retains one 12th-century round-headed window with a lintel decorated with diaper work, positioned to the left of the porch. Remains of two other similar windows, now blocked, survive—one with diaper and rosette decoration and one with a single stone lintel carved with foliate decoration. A small rectangular memorial tablet and scattered stone fragments with diaper decoration, together with a small carved head, suggest that parts of this wall may be rebuilt. Five large 19th-century round-headed windows punctuate the wall, positioned between the pilasters. The 19th-century double doors with decorative hinges (now obscured by the 19th-century porch) are set within a 12th-century round-headed surround with a plain tympanum set within a round arch with heavy roll moulding. Pilasters flank the door, containing simple niches probably not original. Engaged columns stand either side of each pilaster. The remains of a stoup exist within the left-hand pilaster.

The south wall mirrors the north wall. A blocked doorway traces remain towards the east end. It features 19th-century round-headed windows matching those of the north wall.

The 19th-century chancel and vestry have diagonal and side buttresses. The east window is a 19th-century five-light design with roll-moulded tracery.

The tower is a three-stage Perpendicular structure with diagonal buttresses. On the west is a three-light Perpendicular window with tracery and a hood with head stops. Two-light belfry windows with wooden louvres and quatrefoils occupy the belfry stage. The parapet is restored with battlements and projecting gargoyles. A stair turret with external access stands at the south-east corner. An early studded plank door is set back within the north wall.

The north porch projects outward, featuring double doors within a round-headed entrance flanked by two engaged columns. The gable end has flat and stepped coping with upright cross finials, some now broken. Ridge tiling displays upright pierced decoration.

The interior is plastered. The nave contains eight bays; the chancel has five bays. A 13th-century pointed double-chamfered chancel arch rests on 12th-century engaged columns with cushion capitals. The outer columns are restored; the inner columns are built of alternating green sandstone and limestone blocks. A double-chamfered arch connects the nave to the tower base.

The nave roof comprises 19th-century crown post trusses with moulded tie beams, curving collar beams, and a collar purlin. A moulded purlin carries three tiers of windbraces. The wallplate features brattishing and pierced decoration. The chancel has four arch-braced roof trusses. Stone corbels with foliate decoration support these trusses. The wallplate above the arched bracing is brattished with pierced decoration. A stone flag floor covers the nave; the chancel has a tile floor including some decorative encaustic tiling.

Furnishings include a 15th-century octagonal limestone pulpit inside the north door and a 19th-century limestone and marble pulpit with a recessed carved scene. 19th-century pews occupy the nave.

Monuments are notable. The south wall of the chancel displays a monument to Clare Sybil, died 1575, featuring a recumbent effigy of a lady with an infant in alabaster, with black marble pillars supporting Ionic capitals and a classical pediment. A rectangular brass inscription appears above the effigy. Four white-on-black marble monuments stand within the chancel. The tower base contains a large monument to William Hancock, died 1676, and his two sons, comprising three half-length effigies with a broken triangular pediment supported by barley-twist balusters. A pulvinated frieze below displays a scene painted with sailing ships. Three oval inscription plaques appear beneath. Two 17th- to early 18th-century monuments, four 19th-century marble monuments, and a 19th-century benefaction board occupy the wall opposite.

The belfry contains a wooden bell-frame of circa 1450–75. 19th-century stained glass occupies the chancel east window, and two further 19th-century windows appear in the nave's north and south walls.