Church Of St Faith

The Church of St. Faith is a parish church largely of the 12th century, with significant additions and alterations in the 14th, 15th, and 19th centuries. It is situated on Whaddon Road in Newton Longville.

The church's fabric is primarily of coursed rubble stone, with dressed stone used for the tower, all covered by lead roofs. The west tower is of three stages and features a battlemented ironstone parapet, two-light traceried openings to the bell chamber, and diagonal buttresses. A four-centred moulded arch doorway is on the west side, above which is a restored two-light traceried window. The nave has a battlemented parapet and a clerestory of three 15th-century two-light cusped windows, with an additional single light at the west end; the south window has a quatrefoil. The aisles have plain parapets and restored 15th-century Decorated windows, with three lights to the north, south, and west of the south aisle, four lights to the east of the south aisle, and three lights with intersecting tracery to the west of the north aisle. Gabled porches with double-chamfered arches provide access on both the north and south sides. The chancel has a plain parapet, two 15th-century three-light cusped windows, and a restored Tudor arch doorway with carved spandrels. The east window is four-light with a four-centred head, as is one window to the south; all chancel windows have hood-moulds with carved head stops. A carved skeleton is positioned above the east window. The north chapel has similar three-light windows, a carved corbel in the east wall, and a buttress with a blind traceried panel.

Inside, a double-chamfered tower arch leads into the nave, which has a Transitional arcade of moulded arches on round piers and half-piers with moulded and carved caps. A similar chancel arch is present. The north arcade features a hood-mould with nailhead ornament and carved head stops. An arched opening to the south at the east end of the nave contains a carved head of a knight on the sill. The aisles incorporate aumbries, cusped piscinae, and stairs to the north side of the rood loft. The chancel has a double-chamfered arch on semi-octagonal piers, one of which features a carved half-figure of an angel, leading to the north chapel. Also in the chancel are two restored piscinae and fragments of 14th-century sedilia with finials and carved heads. The north chapel has carved corbels and a section of carved cornice. The nave and chancel maintain 15th-century roofs, featuring moulded purlins and tie beams, with traceried spandrels braced on stone corbels with carved heads. The nave roof has carved bosses and two painted trusses. Original 15th and 16th-century moulded beams remain in the aisle roofs. Fittings include a 12th-century font with carved ornament on eight columns, a 17th-century font cover, a 14th-century carved stone figure, a 17th-century chest, bench and stools, and a 17th-century panelled screen with an open baluster frieze to the north chapel. Other fittings and glass are of the 19th century.