Parish Church of Great St Mary's

Heritage listing

Details CHURCH STREET 1. 5253 (East End) Parish Church of Great St Mary's TL 4849 1481:3/61 6.6.52 GV 2. C13, C14 and C15 with C19 restorations notably by G E Pritchett (1824-1912) in 1856-59. Medieval parish church now C of E. Built of flint rubble with flint facing, stone quoins and dressings, smooth render to chancel and C16 red brick stair turret to tower. Lead roofs generally but N aisle re-covered in copper in 1951. Chancel, nave and lower part of W tower C13. N and S aisles and SE chapel early C14. Clerestory, raised nave roof, S porch and upper part of tower C15. Large square tower of 3 stages with crenellated moulded parapet surmounted by octagonal Hertfordshire Spike, its raised lead ribs forming a lozenge diaper pattern below a ball and slender wind vane. String courses at each stage with polygonal C16 brick stair on S side with crenellated top rising only to 2nd stage. C14 W doorway, C15 Perpendicular 3 light window over. C13 lancet in N and S walls of 2nd stage. C15,2-light windows with Y-tracery to 3rd stage with belfry louvres and clock dial on W face below cill. Plain parapets and buttresses elsewhere on church. N wall of chancel has blocked C15 door and RCHM (1911) 203 records 2 centred arch in S wall c.1300. C13 chancel arch. 5 light E window, 1 window in N wall and 2 in S wall. SE chapel has E window, blocked C14 window on S and rood stair in NW corner. Nave has 3-bay C14 arcades of 2-centred arches on quatrefoil pillars with moulded caps and bases. Upper door to rood loft to S of chancel arch. Narrower N aisle is C14 but probably some 20 years earlier than S aisle. 3-light windows to E and W ends and 2,2-light windows on N,all with rear arches and moulded jambs. C14 N doorway. Piscina by altar. Wider S aisle has 2 S windows and C14 doorway with trace

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.