The church of St.
Mary The Virgin stands on rising ground to the north-east of the
village, and is built of flint rubble with stone dressings; the
roofs are of lead. It consists of chancel, nave, south chapel, and
south tower, the lower stage of which forms the porch. A north
vestry was added in the 19th century. The present church appears to
have been erected c. 1350–70 on the foundations of the older
one or the older stones re-used, as some of the lower stones are of
shelly oolite, the rest of the stonework being of
clunch. The south chapel, tower and
chancel may have been built a little later in the 14th century. All
the windows of the chancel are of modern stonework, and the chancel
arch has been cemented. The roof is modern.
On the north wall
of the nave are two windows having two cinquefoiled lights; one is of 15th-century date,
the other being a modern copy; the west window of two cinquefoiled lights also belongs to the 15th
century. The south doorway is of the 14th century, and retains the
original plank door, with ornamental iron hinges. The name 'John
Warrin' is painted in black letter on
the inside. The south chapel has an east window with 15th-century
tracery of three lights, the jambs being of earlier date.
The tower is of two
stages with a tiled pyramidal roof. The lower stage forms the south
porch, which has a moulded arched entrance.
In the east window
is some old glass; the head of a female saint is probably of late
14th-century work; a number of quarries painted with birds and a
border with 'Maria' monogram repeated may belong to the next
century. In the south-west window of the chapel are some heraldic
fragments.
If anybody would like to expand to
this series please do, I would just ask that you could let
Sadexploration know first so he can
keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid
duplication.