Church Of St Helen

The Church of St Helen is a church dating from the 13th and 14th centuries, with a restoration circa 1862-63 by Browning. It is constructed of squared coursed lias and cobble, with a slate roof laid to diminishing courses. The church consists of an aisled nave and chancel, and a west tower.

The chancel has a south elevation featuring a two-window range of two-light windows and a south door between. The east window is a three-light window with intersecting tracery. It has a gabled roof with ashlar parapets and a finial. To the south is an aisle with a three-window range of two-light windows with Plate tracery, and a similar three-light east window. This aisle has a lean-to roof with ashlar parapets and kneelers. A porch to the far left features a 14th-century four-centred inner arch and a 19th-century double-chamfered outer arch, topped with a gabled roof, ashlar parapets, kneelers, and a finial.

The north aisle and chapel have a two-window range of two- and three-light Perpendicular windows set under four-centred arches. A north door between the windows has a four-centred arch with decorated spandrels. A three-light Perpendicular east window is present. It has gabled and lean-to roofs with ashlar parapets. The north elevation of the nave to the west end contains a late 13th-century two-light window, and evidence of a blocked window at the junction of the north aisle. The shallow-pitched nave roof has a moulded ashlar parapet.

The west tower, likely dating from the 14th century, has two stages and clasping buttresses at the western corners. A four-centred arch frames the west door, above which is a two-light window. There are two-light bell chamber openings to each face of the second stage. The tower is topped with a plain ashlar parapet.

Inside, the chancel arch is double-chamfered and of 14th-century origin, with octagonal responds. The south arcade of the nave has four bays of 19th-century double-chamfered arches with circular piers and foliated capitals. The western bay of the arcade is smaller, with a square pier, and is part of the integral south porch. The north arcade of the nave has two bays of 14th-century double-chamfered arches with octagonal responds, separated by a section of blank wall. Two 19th-century openings lead from the nave into the north chapel, which now serves as a vestry. A 14th-century double-chamfered tower arch is present, as are 19th-century roof structures. 19th-century stained glass is found in all chancel windows, the north-aisle’s north-east window, and the tower’s west window. A monument to Ambrose Saunders, who died in 1765, is on the west wall of the north aisle, a marble tablet with flanking pilasters and an open pediment. The church includes a 19th-century decorative tiled floor and a pulpit supported on seven marble pillars, with a staircase to the rear featuring tiled walls. A fragment of a rood screen carving, decorated with twisted branches and crocketing, is located above the south chancel door. A 19th-century font stands with marble pillars.