Church Of St Mary The Virgin

Church of St Mary the Virgin

Parish church with a 15th-century tower and early 16th-century south aisle. The nave, chancel, and north porch were rebuilt during a major renovation in 1881. The tower and aisle are constructed of massive coursed blocks of granite ashlar (more regular in the aisle), while the nave and chancel are of snecked granite with granite ashlar detailing. The building is roofed in slate. The plan comprises a nave and chancel under continuous roof, a full-length south aisle, a west tower, a vestry set in the angle between the tower and aisle, and a north porch.

The exterior features a low, unbuttressed west tower of two stages with an embattled parapet and corner pinnacles. An internal stair is located in the north-west corner. The belfry has lancet windows—double ones on the east and north sides. The west side of the tower displays a two-centred arch doorway with double-chamfered surround below a square-headed twin lancet window with sunken spandrels and the remnants of a hoodmould. The 19th-century north side of the nave and chancel includes a gabled porch towards the right end with a two-centred outer arch. To the left is a reset late 15th- or early 16th-century square-headed three-light window with ogee heads, sunk spandrels, and a hoodmould with rosettes carved on the labels. Further left are two 19th-century lancets (the end one serving the chancel) and another at the right end. The east end has a fleur-de-lis apex cross on the gable and contains a 19th-century square-headed three-light window with round-headed lights, sunken spandrels, and a hoodmould. The south aisle features similar windows of early 16th-century date: a three-light window on the east end and four windows on the south side, the right pair being three lights and taller than the left end two-light windows. A 19th-century chimney shaft stands between the right pair. A 19th-century flat-roofed vestry in the same style is attached.

The interior contains a 19th-century south doorway with a plain two-centred arch and a plank door with good wrought-iron ferramenta. The roofs are 19th-century work: open wagon roofs to the nave and aisle, and a three-bay arch-braced truss roof to the chancel. The 15th-century tower arch is a plain round-headed arch on soffit-chamfered imposts. The early 16th-century arcade comprises five bays (one overlapping into the chancel) with low arches featuring double-chamfered arch rings carried on monolithic octagonal columns with soffit-chamfered caps. The floor is laid in a chequer pattern of 19th-century tiles, including some reset 17th- and 18th-century graveslabs. The walls are plastered.

The fittings and furniture include an oak altarpiece of 1912 with panels either side of a painting of the Madonna and Child (a copy after Mario Basaili). The 1881 altar was moved in 1930 to the south aisle, where it was rededicated to Our Lady, St. Francis, and St. Lawrence. An unusual oak chancel altar rail of 1881 features standards carved as openwork vines. A rood beam with a bronze figure of Christ serves as a First World War memorial. The pulpit, lectern, and prayer desk are late 19th- and 20th-century work in oak with good carving. 20th-century seating is in place. A 15th-century octagonal granite font has a plain stem and base. The south aisle displays painted arms of George III. The only memorial is a shaped marble plaque in memory of Reverend William Hole (d. 1828), signed by J. Taylor of Pembroke. Some late 19th- and 20th-century stained glass is present.