Ponsonby Church

Ponsonby Church is a Grade II listed building, likely of medieval origin, which underwent significant restoration in 1840 and 1874. It is constructed of stone rubble with ashlar dressings and features a slate roof. The church consists of a single vessel nave and chancel, a west tower, and a north vestry. The gables are coped and adorned with crosses.

The south elevation has five bays, with the two-bay nave displaying paired lancets. A gabled buttress separates the nave from the chancel, which features a two-light flat-faced mullioned window and two small lancets. The wall incorporates the head of a straight-headed light, part of an arch, and a section of a medieval grave slab. The east end showcases stepped triple lancets with a rose window above and clasping buttresses. The north elevation includes a single lancet and two pairs of lancets, while the two-bay vestry has two gables, the eastern one being smaller, along with lancets and an east entrance. The entrance to the nave is located in a projection under a pentice, featuring a single order arch.

The tower has paired lancets on the west side and single lancets on the north and south sides, with a south stair turret beneath a hipped roof. The tower also includes two-light louvred tracery bell openings and a broach spire with lucarnes.

Inside, the church features a deep arch-braced collar roof, a tower arch, and vaulting, along with wall-mounted gas lamps and hanging oil lamps. The medieval chancel arch was raised in 1874. The interior includes a richly carved pulpit and stalls, an arch leading to the vestry space, and an east window with stained glass from 1875 by Morris and Co, along with some earlier fragments in the south window. There are also medieval grave slabs and a wall memorial for Thomas Curwen, who died in 1653, featuring two figures and arms within a dog-tooth border, as well as a pillar piscina.