Church Of St Mary And St Bega

The Church of St Mary and St Bega originated as a Benedictine priory, founded around 1120. It fell into disrepair at the Dissolution of the monasteries, and was re-roofed in 1611 for use as a parish church, with further restoration in 1622. The church underwent extensive remodelling and restoration in the 19th century, notably by Butterfield in 1855, 1858, and 1881.

The church is constructed of sandstone blocks laid on a plinth, with moulded details in places. Buttresses were added to the west end. Welsh slate covers the roofs.

The building consists of a nave with aisles, a transept, a crossing tower, and a short chancel. The original Romanesque west door comprises four semi-circular orders beneath a hoodmould, supported by ornamentally carved cushion capitals. The outer orders are carved with a chevron pattern interspersed with heads; only one of the original jamb shafts remains. The inner order is plain, with a compound respond. Modern fittings are present on the doors. Lancet windows from the 19th century are located at the end of each aisle, and three above the door. Other 19th-century windows include two- and three-light aisle windows, and restored two- and three-light clerestory windows from the 17th century. Traceried windows from the 19th century are found in the chancel.

Internally, a six-bay nave arcade is carried on alternating cylindrical and octagonal piers (with kneeled shafts on the central north pier); the pointed, moulded arches have continuous hoodmoulds. Clerestory windows are positioned over the spandrels. Pointed, moulded crossing arches are supported by keeled responds. 19th-century walls, pierced with cinquefoils, separate the aisles from the transept. The chancel extends into the crossing. The east wall features polychromed blind arcading, and the floor is paved with Minton tiles. A painted cast-iron altar rail is present, along with an ornate painted cast/wrought iron chancel screen from 1886. A medieval bracket piscina is located in the north transept arm, and numerous inscribed/carved medieval grave slabs are set into the north transept arm and the east end of the south aisle. A stone set into the south wall at the west end of the aisle is inscribed and dated 1611, said to commemorate repairs carried out by churchwardens. Old and New Testament cycles are depicted in 19th-century stained-glass windows. An octagonal marble font in the south aisle was given by the contractor in 1858, and a 19th-century octagonal wooden pulpit is also present.