Our History
The Church is a beautiful 13th century, Grade II listed building. It has a nave and chancel with a north porch and west tower. There are several murals painted by Henry Strachey in c.1900 one of which depicts the Day of Judgement. He used village people as his models for the murals.
The following appears on the Historic England website, describing the church:
Anglican parish church. C15 and C19 alterations.
Exterior
- Squared and coursed sandstone to tower and chancel, squared and coursed red sandstone and lias in alternate bands to nave.
- Ashlar to tower parapet, freestone openings and copings, slate roof to nave, plain tile roof to chancel.
- Nave, chancel, west tower, north porch.
- Nave south wall has 2 recut cusped light
- Perpendicular windows under flat hoodmoulds with lozenge stops, 1 blocked Tudor arched window and one single light triangular headed C19 window.
- 2 similar Perpendicular windows to north wall.
- Chancel on both north and south walls has a recut 2-light perpendicular window.
- Chancel north wall has in addition a Tudor arched doorway with C19 plank door and above, a mediaeval statue of God the Father set in shallow niche.
- C19 three- light Perpendicular style east window.
- Junction between nave and chancel on the north side has a quoin carved with shears: symbol of the Wool Staplers’ Guild.
- Tower of 3 stages with diagonal buttresses, polygonal north east corner embattled stair turret and pierced lozenge parapet with corner crocketted pinnacles.
- West facade has a tall 3-light Perpendicular window to 1st stage.
- Moulded stringcourses, 2 cusped light bell openings with dense quatrefoil piercing and hoodmoulds, moulded cornice below parapet with fine gargoyles, one to each, face including a ram’s head.
- Gabled north porch with Tudor arched doorway, plain C19 north doorway and plank door.
Interior.
- Nave has double chamfered tower arch and C19 wagon roof on mediaeval wall plate.
- C19 double chamfered chancel arch with C19 open rafter roof with transverse tie beams.
Fittings.
- Nave at tower arch has an octagonal Perpendicular font with quatrefoil panels.
- Charles II coat of arms dated 1660 over north door.
- 3 fine wall monuments on south wall to the Jones and Sandford families: earliest to William Jones (died 1748) by Thomas Paty.
- C19 Perpendicular style pulpit.
- Over the chancel arch (mural 1900) and on chancel walls are fine 1915 canvas murals depicting the Day of Judgement and scenes from Christ’s life by Henry Strachey.
- 1846 floral stained glass in east window.
For up to date information, please go to www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/