Hodgeston Parish Church

Hodgeston Parish Church is a late 14th-century church, though with earlier fabric, built of local limestone. The nave uses random rubble construction, while the chancel and tower demonstrate better masonry. The base of the nave and tower walls have a slight batter. The tower's masonry has been “ribbon-pointed”. The chancel is constructed of regularly coursed masonry and has a 14th-century string course at sill level. The church is roofed with slate and has verge parapets; the chancel roof is higher than the nave roof. A pointed doorway leads to the south porch, and a blocked pointed doorway exists in the north wall of the nave.

The tower is unusually slender and stands four storeys high, the lower two being vaulted. A stair turret is centrally placed on the north face. The parapet rests on corbels, and the bell-chamber has double windows with circular heads on the east and west sides. A 19th-century double window with a square hood is present at ground storey level, above the remnants of an earlier, narrow west window.

The churchyard is enclosed by a rubble masonry wall with mortared coping and wrought-iron gates.

The chancel, approximately 9 meters by 5 meters, is relatively large compared to the rest of the church. A surviving, original 14th-century cornice, ornamented with ballflowers, remains at high level inside. A continuous bench runs from the sanctuary steps to the chancel wall along the south side. The chancel also contains a 14th-century double piscina and three sedilia, all sharing a style with ogee trefoil arched heads, an abundance of ballflower ornament, crockets, and leaf finials. The columns separating the sedilia are octagonal. Set in the corner beside the chancel arch are the stairs leading to a now-lost rood loft. A string course is present at sill level, and the chancel features 19th-century encaustic floor tiles. The timber roof is a product of 19th-century restoration work, with corbels supporting the trusses decorated with faces, presumed to be portraits of those involved in the restoration.

The east window has been restored in a Decorated style, featuring three main lights made of oolitic limestone. Other windows are restored in simple traceried or lancet styles.

The chancel arch is a plain, 19th-century structure of two chamfered orders. The nave, approximately 12 meters by 5 meters, has a plain pointed vault. Corbels are located on the north and south sides near the chancel arch. A stoup recess is situated beside the south door. A Norman font, of the cushion type, features four elongated lobes on each face and two incised crosses. It stands on a short pillar with a conical base, lacking any mouldings.

The ground storey of the tower is used as a vestry, and bell-rope holes are visible in the vault above.