Church Of Our Lady

The Church of Our Lady is a parish church with Saxon origins, situated within Warnford Park, Warnford. The Norman west tower dates to circa 1130, with an Early English single-cell nave and chancel added around 1190. A Decorated east window was constructed in 1377, and minor restorations were carried out in 1906. The walls are of flint with stone dressings, with the north, east, and part of the south walls cement rendered. The tower is stone but predominantly cement rendered, and the entire building is covered by a tile roof.

The tower is a massive square structure with three stages, flat corner buttresses, roundel openings at the top, narrow central windows to each stage, and an 18th century brick parapet with stone coping. The nave features a regular series of lancets on each side. The east window is a notable example of curvilinear tracery, with later buttresses added. A south porch, built in the Early English style, exists; a former north porch has been removed.

The interior is an open hall with a roof dating from 1906, which retains some old tie-beams. A rood stair entry is located on the north side. A Purbeck font from circa 1130, set on a drum with four corner columns, stands at the rear center of the church. Oak panelling, originally from the squire’s pew (dating from the 17th and 18th centuries), has been repurposed as a backdrop to a 17th century altar table at the west end. A screen from 1634 is positioned within the tower arch, supporting a Victorian Gothic retable panel containing the Prescriptions. There is a fine screen from 1634 dividing the nave and chancel, featuring interlaced arcading on balusters above a panelled base; the altar rails are from the late 17th century. Dado panelling in the chancel appears to be the remnants of a medieval screen. The nave contains old bench ends, and a Jacobean pulpit is also present. On the north wall of the nave are two hatchments and a Royal Coat of Arms from the reign of George IV (1821). Two fine altar tombs are set against the east wall: one to William Neale (died 1601) on the north side, and a more elaborate monument to his son, Sir Thomas Neale (died 1621), on the south side, featuring effigies of himself and his two wives. Inscriptions refer to the renovation, or rebuilding, of the Saxon church by Adam de Port, who held the manor between 1171 and 1213.