Building record 0415200000 - ST MARY'S CHURCH

Dimensions - Length 29m, Width 15m.
The church is first mentioned in 1221 when William de Beauchamp presented one Miles, a minor, to the rectory, but the surviving C12th font indicates that a C12th church existed here (B3).
The Parish Church of St Mary is built of flint rubble with stone dressings. The walls of the chancel are ashlared, those of the tower are of flint and stone in an irregular chequer pattern. The roofs are covered with lead. The church has been considerably rebuilt and restored, and the early history is therefore obscure. The earliest feature, that of the font, is of mid C12th date. The chancel was probably enlarged in the C13th, when the North and South aisles, and a West tower was added to the nave. The aisles were altered or extended in the C14th, but late in the C15th, the whole church was rebuilt, old material being reused. Early in the C16th, the clerestory was added and the North porch built. The building was much restored in the C19th (B4).
Grade I. Parish Church. Mainly C15 but re-using C13 and C14 material, restored C19. Flint with clunch blocks, used in chequer on tower; later limestone dressings, bands of ironstone alternating with clunch ashlar to chancel. Lead roofs. West tower, aisled nave with clerestory, N. porch and chancel, all with battlemented parapets. Mainly square headed windows, 3-light with hoodmoulds to C16 clerestory, cusped lights to C15 belfry and aisle windows; 4-centred arched windows with cusped lights, to side of Chancel, 5-light square headed E. window. Interior 4-bay arcaded nave, S. aisle E. window has a sill carved with frieze of quatrefoils and shields. C15 timber roofs. Fittings: C12 tub font with arcading, old seats at W. end of nave. Glass in E, window, original C15 stained glass made to fit the window, ten Apostles. N. window of chancel has panel of C15 stained glass . Brasses in chancel to 2 Knights, both C14, and one to a priest 1531. Monument in chancel to Lord & Lady Newhaven d.1728 & 32, by William Woodman the Elder (c.1654-1731) "one of the most outstanding monuments in England" (Gunnis). Reredos background with Corinthian columns and an open scrolled pediment with semi-reclining figure on a grey sarcophagus against a grey obelisk. Seated figure of Lady Newhaven to RH of the white base of the monument; to the LH the coronet on a cushion. RCHM I p.135. MON.1 (B6).
The font is a Norman tub type with arcading (B8).

This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 4 June 2025 licensed under the Open Government Licence.