Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a parish church dating back to the 14th century, with significant alterations and additions through the 15th, 16th, and 19th centuries. The chancel was rebuilt in the early 14th century, the nave was altered and aisles added mid-14th century, and the west tower was constructed in the early 15th century. A late 15th to 16th-century south porch and 19th-century restorations are also present, along with a more recent organ chamber. The church is constructed of limestone rubble, with a tiled chancel and lead roofs to the remainder.

The west tower, set into the west bay of the nave, has a restored battlemented parapet, angle buttresses, and 2-light traceried openings to the bell chamber, along with a 3-light west window featuring reticulated tracery. A 15th-century sanctus bellcote with carved finials sits at the east end of the nave. The aisles have moulded parapets and early 16th-century windows with 4-centred lights in square-headed openings. The north aisle includes a restored 14th-century east window of three traceried lights, alongside a blocked north doorway with a 2-centred chamfered arch, and a moulded south doorway.

The two-story south porch features a parapet, a 2-centred double-chamfered arch with an inner order on semi-octagonal piers, and a single 4-centred light above. The floor inside the porch has been removed. The chancel has two bays of restored Perpendicular traceried windows with 4-centred heads; a 2-light window to the north, flanking a 19th-century lean-to organ chamber, and a 3-light window to the south, flanking a small moulded doorway. A 19th-century 3-light traceried east window completes the chancel’s fenestration.

Inside, the tower’s triple-chamfered arches lead to the nave and aisles, with the inner orders resting on semi-octagonal piers with moulded caps. Traces of the former nave arcade remain above. The nave now comprises three bays with arcades of double-chamfered arches supported by octagonal piers. The ornamental capitals feature distinctive carvings: the northwest pier has dogtooth ornament, the southwest has carved heads, and the second pier in each arcade has carved half-figures with interlinking arms, all of which have been restored. Other capitals are moulded. The late 15th to 16th-century nave roof retains moulded purlins, a ridge beam, and tie beams with curved braces, spandrels, and carved wooden angel corbels. The aisles have squints to the chancel, the south one with a cusped opening. The south aisle also features a rectangular piscina and stairs leading to the upper chamber of the porch. A double-chamfered chancel arch, with an inner order on attached shafts with moulded caps, transitions to the chancel. This contains a rectangular piscina with carved fleurons, and a hammer-beam roof, likely from the 17th century, now partially concealed.

Notable fittings include a fine 12th-century tub font with enriched fluting to its lower edge, an early 17th-century altar table with turned balusters and a carved frieze, and a matching early 17th-century chair. An old chest is also present. Monuments include brasses commemorating Anne Englishe, her daughter, and grand-daughter, set into the top of an altar tomb in the chancel, and a large early 19th-century tomb chest with a pyramidal roof, a flaming urn, and eye-shaped panels commemorating members of the Spiers family, located at the west end of the north aisle. Historical records indicate Wycliffe was a non-resident vicar here in the 14th century.