Church Of St Mary And St Bega

NX 91 SE (INSET) 8/66

ST BEES B5345 (West side) Church of St Mary and St Bega

9.3.67

GV

I Benedictine Priory, now Parish Church. Present building dates from re-foundation c1120. Unroofed at Dissolution, re-roofed 1611 for use as Parish Church; further restoration 1622. Extensively remodelled and restored by Butterfield in C19: 1855, transepts re-roofed; 1858, tower repaired; 1881 aisles re-roofed.

Sandstone blocks on plinth (moulded in places); buttresses added at west end. North transept arm retains parts of original arched corbel table, and string below windows. Welsh slate roofs.

Nave with aisles, transept, crossing tower, and short chancel.

Original Romanesque west door of four semi-circular orders (under hoodmould) carried between ornamentally carved cushion capitals. Three outer orders carved with chevron interspersed with heads; only one of original jamb shafts survives; inner order plain, with compound respond. Late C20 fittings to doors. C19 lancet to end of each aisle and three above door. C19 two- and three-light aisle windows, restored two- and three-light C17 clerestory windows. Traceried C19 chancel windows.

Interior: Six-bay nave arcade carried on alternating cylindrical/octagonal piers (except central north, clustered kneeled shafts); pointed, moulded arches with continuous hoodmould. Clerestory windows over spandrels. Pointed, moulded crossing arches carried on keeled responds. C19 walls, pierced with large cinquefoils, separate aisles from transept. Chancel extends into crossing. Polychromed blind arcading to east wall, Minton floor tiles. Painted cast-iron altar rail; ornate 1886 painted cast/wrought iron chancel screen. Medieval bracket piscina in north transept arm. Numerous inscribed/carved medieval grave slabs in north transept arm and east end of south aisle. Stone set in south wall at west end of aisle inscribed and dated 1611, said to commemorate repairs carried out by churchwardens. Old and New Testament cycles in C19 stained-glass windows. Octagonal marble font in south aisle given by contractor in 1858. C19 octagonal wooden pulpit.

Listing NGR: NX9688412121