Church of St Mary of the Assumption 31/07/63 I Parish church. Early C14, 1722, 1812, with Victorian restoration and fittings. Stone and brick walls, tile and slate roof. The church was rebuilt in the 1st half of the C14, and this part survives as the aisleless chancel; the steeple was demolished 1722 and replaced by the present west tower, and the nave was rebuilt in 1812. The chancel of 3 bays has a tile roof, and walls of chalkstone, with diagonal stepped buttresses at the east end and 2 south-side buttresses; the windows are coupled lights with simple tracery (one Perpendicular on the south side) and the east window is the original, of 5 lights with Decorated (reticulated tracery), containing a fine series of contemporary armorial glass, representing descendants of Edward I. Inside, on the north side there is an Easter-Sepulchre and low cambered tomb arch, and on the south side a C15 5-cusped piscina; the floor has many fine lettered tomb slabs of black marble, and the Victorian organ is arranged in 2 frames on the south side. The nave of 3 bays is arranged with 2 storeys of windows, and has a low-pitched slate roof, brick walls in Flemish bond with blue headers, plinth, with "Gothic" traceried coupled stone lights, projections on the north and south contain the porch and vestry. Within the nave there are 2 wall monuments, 8 hatchments, the painted Royal Coat of Arms of George III, a brass eagle lectern, stone pulpit of 1876, font of 1864, a brass chandelier of 1716, and a west-end gallery supported on 4 thin cast-iron columns; the west door has above it a "Della Robbia" style faience sculpture. The brick tower (1722) of 3 storeys has blunt corner pinnacles, a plain parapet, cambered arches to the several openings, diagonal stepped buttresses; near the north door several bricks are inscribed with initials, and one is dated 1744.
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