Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a notable perpendicular church located in Thirsk, with construction beginning around 1430 and completed in the late 15th century, as indicated by the flatter arches of the chancel windows. It underwent restoration by Street in 1877. There are possible fragments of an earlier building visible on the west wall of the nave. The church is built from sandstone ashlar and features lead roofing, a trefoil pierced battlemented parapet, and impressive gargoyles.

The structure includes a six-bay aisled nave and a two-bay aisleless chancel, along with a three-storey west tower and a two-storey south porch. Due to its hillside location, there is a crypt beneath the chancel with a shallow tunnel vault. The west tower is adorned with large three-light windows and bell openings, while the two-storey nave has three-light depressed arched windows with panel tracery. The three-light aisle windows feature two-centred arches, and the single-storey chancel has three-light basket-arched windows, culminating in a five-light east window.

Inside, the nave arcade showcases typical perpendicular piers with a section of four shafts and four diagonal hollows, along with two-centred arches. The chancel arch dates from 1877, and there is a reproduction of a fine wagon roof with bosses that was replaced due to wood beetle damage. The church contains 15th-century sedilia and screens to the east of the aisles, which have been somewhat restored. The north and south doors, dating from the 15th century, feature fine carving and a wicket.

In terms of glass, the east window of the south aisle contains 15th-century fragments, while the south-east window has tracery figures by Holiday from 1875. There is also a fragment of a brass memorial for Robert Thirsk, who died in 1419, and a tablet commemorating Hon. Aurelia Frederica Storre Fisher of York from 1778.