Parish Church, former Priory church. Founded c.1119-39 by Ralph de Ayncourt for canons of the order of St. Augustine. Dissolved 1534. Early C13, restored 1852-3 by T. C. Hine when the chancel was added and the north aisle renewed. Ashlar with some coursed rubble. Slate roofs. Coped gables with decorative ridge cross finials to the east chancel and remains of finials to the east and west nave with finial to east end of north aisle. The north aisle, porch, south nave and chancel are buttressed and set on a plinth with moulded band over. All buttresses here with triangular hood moulds and head or decorative label stops. 2 tower west front now only with north west tower, nave, north aisle, north porch and chancel. C13 west end with moulded plinth and band over. Central bay with pointed arched doorway, the right side has 9 colonnettes, a larger alternating with a smaller, the left side has 2 remaining colonnettes. The moulded arch has 5 bands of dogtooth. Over is a dogtooth hood mould with remains of impost bands. Above is a single C19 window consisting of 5 moulded pointed arched arcades graduating in height from the centre downwards. The central 3 arcades have lights. Flanking each arcade are single colonnettes with 2 flanking the central light. There is a continuous hood mould with 6 decorative label stops and a sill band under. In the gable apex is a single C19 decorative quatrefoil set into a circle. To the left are fragments of an earlier, probably C13, build. To the right is the house, listed as a separate item. The embattled C13 tower with remnants of 4 pinnacles is of 6 stages with bands. The clasping buttresses rise to the bell chamber openings, the left buttress being larger. West wall with pointed arched doorway originally with 5 colonnettes either side, but the left now with 3 and the right with 2, alternating a larger with smaller. The moulded arch has 3 bands of dogtooth with a dogtooth hood mould and right impost band. Above is a damaged 4 bay blind arcade with pointed chamfered arches, colonnettes and continuous hood mould. Above is a pointed arched window with dogtooth hood mould and worn label stops. In the left buttress is a 3 bay blind arcade with colonnettes, moulded pointed arches and continuous hood mould with 3 worn label stops. The central arcade with single rectangular light. The right buttress has a single similar larger arcade with 2 engaged octagonal columns and hood mould. Extending over all and stepped to accommodate the central window is a continuous hood mould. Above this window is a single rectangular light and in the right buttress a single blind arcade with 2 colonnettes either side supporting a moulded pointed arch, containing a single rectangular light. Above, traversing tower and buttresses is a 6 bay blind arcade with pointed moulded arched colonnettes, some with nailhead capitals and continuous nail head hood mould. The single arcade of the right buttress has a single carved grotesque. The tower with 3 arcades the outer each with a single lancet with chevron decoration to the arch. Over the right arcade of the left buttress and the arcade of the right buttress are triangular arches decorated with dogtooth, marking the termination of the buttresses. At the angles of each buttress and at stages where there is no decoration are single engaged colonnettes. The north side of the tower with similar clasping buttresses, that on the right being larger, is set on a plinth with moulded band over. At the first stage is a single rectangular stair light. Above, in the right buttress is a 3 bay blind arcade with pointed moulded arches, the central arch decorated with dogtooth, colonnettes and hood mould with 4 decorative label stops. The east side of the buttress has a single similar arcade. Above, in the tower, is a single lancet and in the right buttress, east side, a single rectangular stair light. Above, traversing tower and buttresses, is a 6 bay blind arcade corresponding to that at the same stage. On the west side with 2 similar lights in the tower arcading. However, all but 2 of the capitals are decorated with worn nail head. There are 3 decorative label stops and the right arcade of the right buttress has a single small arched light with dogtooth hood mould. Above, in the buttresses, are triangular arches with dogtooth hood moulds, the right arch with single small arched light with chevron to jambs and arch. The east side has a single lancet. Above, traversing this front, is a 4 bay blind arcade with pointed moulded arches and colonnettes with nail head capitals and continuous nail head hood mould with 3 label stops. The left and third left arcades have single lancets with chevron decoration to the arches. The second left arcade has a single clock face. The south front has 2 arched lights with continuous nail head hood mould. Each side of the bell chamber has 2 arched openings each opening flanked by single colonnettes with moulded capitals which rise from impost level. Either side are 2 bay blind arcades with similar colonnettes and pointed moulded arches. Over, extending around all 4 sides, is a continuous nail head hood mould with 20 decorative label stops. Attached to the north west buttress is a dressed coursed rubble wall with ashlar coping having a pointed arched doorway with hood mould and 2 large grotesque corbels to the west side and a single carved human head to the apex of the east side. The C19 north aisle has a C19 gabled and coped porch with decorative ridge finial and low angle buttresses. C13 moulded arched entrance with 2 colonnettes either side with worn stiff-leaf capitals. Hood mould over with worn human head label stops. Inner C13 moulded arched doorway with 2 colonnettes and moulded capitals either side. Arch with single band of dogtooth. Dogtooth hood mould with decorative label stops. To the left is a single C19 arched 3 light window with cusped tracery, hood mould and decorative label stops, each light flanked by single colonnettes with decorative capitals. Below and adjacent to the wall is a hollow C13 ashlar coffin with remains of lid. In the east wall is a single C19 arched 3 light window with cusped tracery, hood mould, human head label stops and similar flanking colonnettes. C19 chancel has in the north wall a canted bay with blind arcading having 5 bays to the front and single bay to each side. The arcades with colonnettes, moulded capitals, pointed moulded arches and continuous hood mould with 8 decorative label stops. Over is a single central trefoil. The east end has a single pair of C19 arched 2 light windows each with cusped tracery, each light is flanked by a single colonnette with moulded capital, that on the far left with decorated capital. 3 further larger colonnettes support moulded arches over. There is a continuous hood mould. Over, set into a circle is a single cinquefoil with hood mould and decorative label stops. The south chancel has 2 C19 arched 2 light windows with cusped tracery. Each light flanked by single colonnettes with decorative capitals, hood mould and decorative label stops. The C19 south nave has a single C19 arched 3 light window with cusped tracery, hood mould and decorative label stops. To the left is the attached house. Interior. 3 bay nave arcades, both sides with double chamfered arches and hood moulds to nave sides. The C13 south arcade of the now demolished aisle has a large octagonal column with 4 octagonal colonnettes. All with overhanging moulded capitals. The large cluster column to the west has attached columns and colonnettes with moulded overhanging capitals, the centre column on each side with single fillet. The western respond has a single central large circular column with single fillet flanked by single smaller columns. The eastern respond has a single circular column with single fillet which continues into the capital, flanked by single colonnettes with single shaft rings, either side are single circular columns. All with moulded capitals. The north side, renewed 1852-3 has a large octagonal column with 4 colonnettes and overhanging moulded capitals. The cluster column to the west and the responds correspond to those of the south arcade. The north aisle/north tower double chamfered arch is supported on the cluster column of the arcade and on the north side on a circular column with single fillet flanked by single smaller columns. C19 moulded chancel arch supported on each side by 3 engaged circular columns, the central columns with single fillets all with foliate capitals. Over is a dogtooth hood mould and human head label stops. The vaulting shafts, some supported by the arcade columns, have single shaft rings and fillets and now support the C19 roofs. The south side of the tower has evidence of a twin-opened gallery. North chancel has a moulded arch supported on engaged colonnettes with moulded capitals, hood mould and figurative label stops, this contains the organ. In the south nave wall is a doorway leading to the house. Over the altar is a fine elaborate and decoratively carved early C14 bracket with canopy. Flanking all windows are single colonnettes with fillets, most also have hood moulds and decorative label stops. Restored C13 ashlar altar slab. Set of 3 C15 choir stalls with misericords with decoratively carved heads, figures and foliage. Elaborately carved chair. C19 octagonal font. C19 benches with blind traceried ends. Good C19 pulpit. C17 and C18 floor slabs. South nave has a C12 ashlar coffin with remains of a lid. In the north aisle is a monument to Susanna Gilbert Cooper, 1751 and John Gilbert Cooper. The 2 inscriptions are divided by a single decorative pier decorated with a roundel with carved head. The pier breaks into the pedimented crown and supports some carved books. The inscriptions have a fluted surround with paterae and the apron is decorated with a garland. (NCC/js)