Description:

(1). PARISH CHURCH OF ST. MARY, stands on the W. side of the parish. The walls are of local sandstone rubble and ashlar with some calcareous tufa; the roofs are covered with stone slates. The church, consisting of Chancel and Nave, was built in the I2th century. It was restored in 1857, and the North Vestry, South Porch and the W. wall of the nave are modern.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (22 ¾ ft. by 19 ft.) has a modern E. window. In the N. wall is a 13th-century lancet-window, and there is a similar window in the S. wall. The early 12th-century chancel-arch (Plate 7) is semi-circular and of two plain orders; the responds are of the  same  section and have  chamfered  imposts, plain  except  for one stone (Plate 8) on the S. side which has crude foliated ornament  and pellets  on  the  chamfer. N.  of the arch, on the W. face of the wall, is the square-headed upper doorway to the rood-loft, now blocked.

The Nave (47 ¼ ft. by 23 ft.) has in the N. wall a modern arch to the vestry; near the W. end of the wall is a window of late 13th-century character, almost completely restored; it is of two pointed lights; the early 12th-century  N. doorway, now  blocked, has  plain jambs and a massive stone lintel, 18 in. deep, supported by chamfered shoulder brackets. In the S. wall are two windows, the eastern similar to that in the N. wall and completely restored;   the 12th-century western window is of a single round-headed light; the S. doorway is modern.

The Roof of the chancel is of two bays with three trusses, one of which has a tie-beam and collar, and the others collars only; it is perhaps of the 17th century. The roof of the nave is probably of similar date, and is of five  bays with six tie-beam trusses and  scissor-braces.

Fittings—Bells: two, inaccessible. Floor-slabs: In chancel - (1) to John Gunter, 1677, with shield having a conventional design; (2) to James Butler, 1711; (3) to Hannah,  wife   of Thomas   Gunter, 1711-2.    Font: tapering cylindrical bowl, rim with shallow diapering and  rest of surface with trellis-pattern, 13th-century, but ornament probably modern. Pulpit:   modern, but incorporating some 17th-century panels with interlacing arches, lozenge and foliage patterns. Miscellanea: In porch—two stone mortars with lugs.

Condition - Good.

Observations:

Description documented c 1930 by the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments

Ordnance Survey Map Reference and Index of Parish Properties