Parish Church Of Holy Cross Parish Church Of St Mark

The Parish Church of St Mark (or Holy Cross) is a substantial church dating back to the 13th century, with significant rebuilding and alterations in the 14th and 15th centuries, and a restoration in 1864. It is constructed of coursed and squared rubble, with slate and lead sheeting roofs. The architectural style is largely Perpendicular.

The church comprises a nave, chancel, north and south aisles, north and south chapels, a west tower, north and south porches (the latter now serving as a vestry), and further features. The three-stage west tower is set back with buttresses, culminating in diagonal shafts with pinnacles. The bell chamber has triple two-light windows, with a pierced centre; flanking blank shafts have pinnacles. The tower's west doorway is above a four-light window, with a crocketed niche on the north side of the second stage and two similar niches on the east side. Other windows are generally of two, three, or five lights, and the east window is a five-light design.

A two-bay arcade to the south aisle likely dates to around 1400, with piers of four shafts and fillets. The chancel arch and south chapel arch are also from this period. A later six-bay north aisle has arcade piers of a four-wave section. Contemporary arches lead from the chancel to the north and south chapels. A stair turret, formerly for a rood loft, is situated in the north aisle. The chancel contains a piscina and sedilia, probably 15th century, and four squints. The south door has Perpendicular tracery. The nave’s wagon roof has been restored with bosses and corbels carved as heads, including those of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. The north aisle features a panelled lean-to roof supported by corbels carved as angels, with 96 carved wooden panels depicting angels with spread wings lining both sides. The south aisle and chapel have a plain roof, while the north chapel and chancel have 19th-century roofs. A wall monument from 1798 commemorates Jane Gilling; six further principal wall monuments are by Tyley of Bristol, Lancaster and Walker of Bristol, and Pollard of Taunton. A painted medallion from 1754 is located above the north door. Two late 18th-century painted wooden plaques beneath the tower record local charities.

The church is richly furnished, featuring a pulpit dating from around 1634, a rebuilt Perpendicular rood screen (dating from 1634), an elaborate 15th-century stone font with a 17th-century cover, and four wooden figures of the Evangelists (carved by Andre around 1574, having been held in Bruges Cathedral until 1794). Other furnishings include an 18th-century altar rail, a brass chandelier from 1758, a 17th-century altar table, royal arms above the south door, three medieval pews, two medieval parish chests, a 17th-century table and two coffin stools, and four early 19th-century chairs in a Gothic style. Additional 19th-century pews and choir stalls are also present. Some 19th-century stained glass is incorporated, alongside 15th-century glass in the west window of the north aisle. There is also some 18th-century wall panelling. Two terracotta lions stand outside the north porch.