Church Of Saint Stephen

The Church of St Stephen is a church dating primarily from the 13th century with later additions. It is constructed from local stone rubble with dressings of Doulting stone, and has stone slate roofs with coped gables to the chancel and porch. The church’s layout comprises two main sections: a two-bay chancel and a three-bay nave, with additions of a west tower, a south porch, and a 19th-century vestry on the northeast corner.

The chancel features a three-light window with Y-tracery on the east side. Two 18th-century memorials are set into the wall below and to the south of this window, both framed by pedimented surrounds, commemorating the Revd. William Leir, Rector, who died in 1743, and Nathaniel Farewell, who died in 1750. The south side of the chancel has a triple lancet window to the east and a 15th-century two-light window to the west, both without labels. A small, three-centre arched doorway is located between these windows. The north wall is partially rendered, with the remainder obscured by the vestry, which itself contains a small two-light window.

The nave has three two-light windows in a 16th-century style; the central window replaces a blocked former doorway, and has a decorative gable and chimney above. A blocked window is high up on the west end of the wall. The south wall has a flat-headed, four-ogee arched light window without a label to the east of the porch, and a small 15th-century two-cusped head light window to the west, also without a label.

The south porch has a slightly moulded outer arch, with a sundial dated 1916 positioned above. Inside the porch is a 15th-century curved rib and panel roof with bosses, and a flat-headed inner doorway.

The west tower is of three stages, with a plinth, angled offset buttresses on the west side, string courses, battlemented parapets, corner pinnacles, and gargoyles. A square-plan staircase turret is situated on the northeast corner. The tower has a low, plain pointed arch doorway to the west, likely dating from the late 13th century, with an arched label and square steps. Above this doorway is a 15th-century two-light window with cinquefoil cusping and a similar arched label. A small single cusped light window with pierced wood baffles is present on the south face of the second stage. The third stage features two-light, cusped 15th-century windows set in recesses on each face, also with pierced wood baffles.

The interior’s details are largely unknown, but the nave features a curved rib truss roof. The 15th-century moulded tie beams, similar to those at Staverdale Priory Chancel, were removed in the 19th century and replaced with iron tie-rods. The chancel arch is panelled 15th-century. A font of the mid-17th century has been retooled. A doorway to a rood loft is visible on the north side of the nave, with a walkway built into the wall. Evidence suggests a former west nave gallery, and wall plates remain on corbels along part of the south wall. A hatchment dated 1660 is located in the nave, along with two 18th-century boards beneath the tower.