The church of St Mary was built between 1220-1280, and extended between 1320-1350. The west porch doorway is recessed, and the tympanum has 13th century roundels depicting biblical stories. Carved into the spandrels of the north west window is a pipe and tabor player, probably of a similar date.

The scenes in the tympanum include the Annunciation, and Jesus amongst the doctors,

the crucifixion, and the three Mary’s at the tomb.

Inside this is a spacious building that used to be a Collegiate Church, the nave arcade is four bays in the Early English style.

The college in Archbishop Chichele’s time had a master, seven chaplains, four clerks, and six choristers. The misedricords in the choir stalls are carved with a number of designs including the Arms of Archbishop Henry Chichele, and a portait of him with two clerks.

Other designs feature a Pelican feeding her young with it’s own blood, and other mythical beasts and portraits.

The church also contains a number of brass monuments , including a civilian of c1540, a large monument of 4ft 3in figures c1425 to Archbishop Chichele’s brother and wife, and the Henry Denton (1498) chaplain of Chelveston wearing priest vestments.

The most famous monument though, is one of the earliest English brasses and reputed to be the best in England, is that dedicated to Laurence St. Maur (d1337) dean of Hereford. Around his neck is rectangle of cloth embroidered with cinquefoils. He is wearing a liturgical vestment which is heavily embroidered. Above the main figure in the canopy is a group of figures with Abraham seated in the middle and Saint Andrew and St. Peter to the left of him and St. Paul and St. Thomas to the right. The angels on either side of Abraham hold the soul of Laurence St. Maur.

The church also contains stained glass windows by Kemp and Tower, and the Lancaster firm of Shrigley and Hunt.

Tags: brass, hunt, kempe, medieval, misericord, shrigley, stained glass, steeple

Rebuilt upon an earlier Norman church the current building dates from about 1225 and is constructed from the local Limestone in the Early English style. The east window is c1275 with six lights, six quatrefoiled circles, and a large octofoiled circle in the head. The broached spire was rebuilt in 1826 after having being struck by lightning.

The tower is Early English and on its north side there are figures of a fiddler, and pipe and tabor player, whilst on the tower’s south side there is a figure playing a harp.

Above the chancel arch is a C15 painting (c1420) with two angels carrying the instruments of the passion. The Virgin Mary and St. John the Evangelist are on either side of the cross which was once a sculpture of the Crucifixion that has been lost.

On wall of the north aisle is a series of painting dating from between 1420-1450. The western most one is a depiction of the Seven Deadly Sins. This painting has Pride at the gates of Hell being speared by Death, and around her are dragons spewing forth the other sins.

The eastern section of the north aisle has a painting (c1420-1450) of “The three living and the three dead”. This was a popular story from the end of the C13 which originated in France. The story tells of three kings who out hunting come across three corpses who tell the kings that they are their ancestors, and berate them for a life of pleasure. The earliest recording of the story in England comes from Shropshire.

Between the painting of Pride and the Kings is a painting also from the same date of St. Christopher carrying the Christ child. The west wall above the archway leading to the tower has a painted clock face (c1390-1430) donated by local landowners John and Sarah Catlyn. An inscriptions asks for for prayers for their souls.

The north and south aisles have three windows by Francis Skeat dated between 1954 and 1981.

The baptismal font is C13 with a protruding rams head. In the chancel are two 18 in C15 brass memorials one to John Tawyer (d1470) and wife, the other to a lady (c1500).

The east window already described above contains stained glass by Kempe (c1907).

Tags: brass, kempe, medieval, peter, skeat, spire, stained glass, wall painting

St. Mary the Virgin was probably first built in the 12th century. The chancel was rebuilt in the early 13th century, and the east window is of that date. The nave is early 14th century, the north and south aisle, and clerestory were added in 15th century. The tower was added in the 17th century as a replacement for a spire that was in need of repair.

The whole church was restored by G. F. Bodley in 1894.

The stained glass in the east window is set into an early C13 triple lancet window. The North west aisle window was designed by Kempe.

Tags: bodley, kempe, nicholas, stained glass, tower