Parish Church - St Mary's
The church is the oldest and most notable building in the village. The
present building dates from the late 12th century although there was very
probably a wooden church building here in Saxon times. We know for certain that
there was a church on this site in 1154 as there is a charter from the brother
of Henry II, giving the church to his steward and chamberlain. 
Through
the centuries, the building has been greatly altered and restored. The north
doorway dates from the 14th century, though the actual door was replaced to
commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The old south door
still has the 'sanctuary ring' attached to it, the porch was restored in 1901 to
commemorate the reign of Queen Victoria, and in the millennium year 2000, new
oak framed glass doors (given as a memorial to a former parishioner) have been
fitted to the outer arch.
In recent years, much of the mediaeval glass, which, fortunately for us , had
been hidden away during the desecration of the church in the 16th century, has
been restored. The many reminders of previous generations of worshippers include
the stone stoup, the sedilla and the piscina in the walls and the 14th century
font. The three bells, which are now rung regularly every Sunday, date from
1527, 1533 and 1608.
Copyright 2000: J.Willis; F.Lewis
