Church Of St Mary Magdalene

The Church of St Mary Magdalene is a parish church with origins in the 12th century. It was lengthened in the 15th century, with a tower and porch added, and a vestry built in 1848. The exterior is roughcast over lias stone, with red sandstone dressings and slate roofs.

The west tower is crenellated and diagonally buttressed, with a string course. The west front has a 19th-century three-light window. The north front features a two-light trefoil-headed louvred bell opening. The south front contains two small rectangular openings in the upper stage. A two-light window is located to the left of the gabled single-storey porch, which has a pointed arch opening with a 19th-century corbelled and ribbed inner arch, plastered barrel vault with moulded ribs, bosses, and wallplate. A segmental-headed inner doorway leads to a medieval door with medieval ironwork; a tablet dated 1695 is set in the gable end. A three-light window is on the right, alongside a rood stair projection containing a lancet. The chancel has two-light windows and a chamfered, semi-circular headed priest’s door. The east end features a three-light window. The vestry has a lancet at its east end and a 20th-century half-glazed door to an upper room, which is presumably over a basement. A two-light 15th-century trefoil-headed window is partially cut by the vestry addition. The north wall is unlit, except for a large rubble buttress.

Inside, the walls are thick and splayed. There is a 19th-century pointed chancel arch and a moulded four-centered tower arch. The chancel roof is arch braced with corbels, while the nave has a shallow plastered wagon roof. A circular Norman font is present. Various 19th-century fittings are included, such as a pulpit, harmonium, wrought iron altar rails, two wrought iron lamp holders in the sanctuary, and four corona lamp holders with crested decoration suspended by chains and still used to light the church. A mid-18th century pedimented marble tablet with volutes and palm leaf decoration commemorates the Bryant family. A small meeting room on the north front provides access to the pulpit.