Church Of St Mary

Church of St Mary, Ashley

A church of late 13th and early 14th century date, extensively rebuilt and restored in 1867 by Sir George Gilbert Scott for the Reverend R. Pulteney. The building is constructed in squared coursed ironstone with limestone ashlar dressings and features lead roofs throughout.

The church comprises an aisled nave, chancel, west tower, and south porch, designed in the Decorated style. The tower probably retains much of its original form and comprises three stages with angle buttresses to the western corners of the lower two stages. The lower stage contains a 2-light west window, while the second stage displays four armorial plaques with a clock at the centre on its south face. The upper stage is constructed in limestone ashlar with pairs of 2-light bell-chamber openings to each face and shallow pilasters at the corners. The tower is crowned by a broach spire with two tiers of lucarnes.

The south elevation of the chancel features a 2-window range of 2-light windows with a small south door positioned left of centre. A cast iron rainwater head sits between the windows. The chancel has a steeply pitched roof with ashlar parapets and a finial. A 5-light east window contains roundels. The north elevation of the chancel displays a single-window range similar to the south. A north chapel projects over the chancel and has a 3-light east window.

The south aisle comprises a 3-window range of 2-light windows beneath a lean-to roof with ashlar parapet. The south porch, positioned right of centre, features ashlar gable parapets and finial with roll moulding to the inner door. The north aisle and north chapel contain a 5-window range of 2-light geometrical windows, with three central windows retaining some 14th century tracery. A blocked north door sits right of centre with a lateral ashlar stack to the left. This elevation has a lean-to roof with plain corbelled eaves and gargoyles, ashlar gable parapets, and 2- and 3-light west and east windows. Ashlar buttresses are positioned between all windows, and carved label stops ornament all windows on the south-east and west elevations of the south aisle and chancel.

The nave arcade comprises a 5-window range of 2-light square-head windows beneath a shallow gabled roof with ashlar parapets and gargoyles.

The interior retains five-bay nave arcades of double chamfered arches with quatrefoil piers, probably reconstructed around 1867. A 19th century roll moulded chancel arch features marble outer shafts. The tower arch is multi-chamfered. A triple arch opening between the chancel and north chancel features cusping, marble shafts, and richly painted decoration. The chancel walls display rich painted decoration executed in 1867 by Clayton and Bell, including a frieze representing saints, recently restored by the same firm. A marble reredos with gilding and painted ceiling are also by Clayton and Bell. Brass gates sit at the chancel steps, and a brass and wrought iron communion rail is present. Gothic style wrought iron painted chandeliers in the nave aisles and north chapel are by Bodley. A richly painted organ case in the north chapel by Bryceson dates to around 1867. 19th century stained glass by Clayton and Bell lights the chancel windows, east windows of the aisles, and west windows of the tower.

A 19th century screen of seven bays forms the end of the north chapel into the vestry. A 19th century pink marble font with gilding stands in the nave, while an 18th century pedestal font is positioned in the chancel.

Monuments include early and mid-19th century marble tablets to the Farrer family, reset in the north wall of the chancel, and early 20th century tablets to the Pultney and Lascelles families on the south wall. Richly decorated triple sedilia and piscina also occupy the south wall of the chancel. The chancel floor comprises encaustic tiles with marble insets.