Church Of St Mary And The Holy Cross

Church of St Mary and the Holy Cross

This is a parish church of considerable architectural importance, with origins in the 14th century and significant later additions. The main structure comprises a 14th-century nave, aisles and chancel. The west tower, clerestory, north chapel and south porch date from the late 15th century. The north aisle and south porch were rebuilt in 1877, and the remainder of the church was restored at the same time. A 19th-century north vestry was added later.

The exterior is built of coursed rubble stone with tiled roofs to the nave and chancel and lead roofs to the aisles. The west tower rises in three stages and features a plinth, angle buttresses, and a restored battlemented parapet with carved figures beneath the string course. A stair turret projects at the south-west corner. The bell-chamber has 2-light traceried openings. The west door is a restored and reused 14th-century traceried window with moulded surround.

The clerestory comprises five bays of 2-light cusped windows with Tudor hoodmoulds. The aisles contain three bays of 3-light traceried windows with flat heads, originally of the late 15th century. The east window of the south aisle is a restored 3-light Decorated window. Moulded doorways open to both north and south; the south door has a stoup over a stone carved with trefoil ornament. The south porch features a moulded arch and battlemented parapet. The north chapel, built in the Perpendicular style, has a similar battlemented parapet, two bays of 3-light traceried windows, and a small moulded doorway. The Decorated chancel displays three bays of restored 3-light traceried windows and a 5-light window to the east.

The interior preserves numerous medieval and later features. The tower arch is approximately four-centred. The nave has tall arcades of five bays with double-chamfered arches on octagonal piers, altered in the 15th century. Another arch opens to the north chapel. Remains of rood-loft stairs are visible in the north-east pier. Two piscinae survive in the south aisle—one in a rectangular niche and another in a window jamb with two cusped ogee openings. The chancel arch is tall and double-chamfered, its inner order resting on semi-octagonal piers. A 19th-century ogee piscina and triple sedilia are also present, along with 19th-century roofs.

Notable fittings include a 15th-century octagonal font with traceried panels. A section of low 15th- to 16th-century screen with four painted figures in cusped ogee panels now stands at the east end of the north aisle. A chest with linenfold panels bears a tablet dated 1775. A 19th-century carved stone reredos, stained glass in the east window, and charity boards complete the interior decoration.

The church contains an important series of brasses. Those in the chancel commemorate Margery Verney and her children (1509), John Spence, priest (1485), Elizabeth Chester (1593), Joan Plessi (circa 1350), Richard Iwardby (1510), and John Lewys, priest (1422).

The wall monuments are of exceptional quality. In the south aisle, one commemorates Richard Brett, one of the 47 translators of the Bible, and his wife Alice (163?). It features small carved and painted kneeling figures at a desk in a marble aedicule with segmental pediment. Another monument shows marble effigies of Richard Winwood and his wife, dated 1689, reclining on a tomb chest with an incised skeleton on the front panel. Winwood is depicted in finely carved armour and elaborate wig; his wife, in loose classical dress, reclines on her elbow looking toward her husband. A draped inscription tablet rises above. This monument is signed by Thomas Stayner.

In the north aisle, a monument to Sir Richard Piggott (1686), Thomas Pigott (1704), and his wife Lettice (1735) is signed I. Leoni Archi. It is of coloured marble with a sarcophagus, relief cherub heads, and a surround of Ionic columns, entablature and broken pediment. Another monument, signed by William Stanton, commemorates Susanna and John Dormer of Lee Grange (1672 and 1675). It is of black and white marble with inscription tablets in moulded surrounds; the upper tablet has flanking portrait busts.

In the tower stands a monument to Robert Dormer, J.P., his wife and son (circa 1730), attributed to Roubiliac. It is an imposing and finely carved composition showing the son lying on a sarcophagus, the father standing to the left, and the distraught mother kneeling to the right, set within a classical surround. A further monument to Fleetwood Dormer and family (1638 and later), attributed to Grinling Gibbons though not of his finest quality, displays an awkward composition of urns, putti and obelisks with eagle finials and carved foliage.