Parish Church in St Mary

Cadw's description

Location

In a spacious churchyard on high ground at upper end of the High Street.

History

Late C15/early C16 perpendicular aisled nave on the site of earlier church. Building commenced by patronage of Lady Margaret Beaufort, continued after Reformation by Bishops Wharton and Hughes. West tower of 1768-73 attributed to Joseph Turner of Chester. Apsidal chancel and general restoration of 1856 by G G Scott. Fabric of buff Cefn sandstone.

Exterior

Aisles of 7 buttressed bays. 2nd bays from W occupied by Elizabethan doorways; S enclosed by C17 porch remodelled 1911 in neo Perp by Protheroe, Phillot and Barnard; N blocked by 1856 vestry. Crocketed gables to buttresses and sunk panelled shafts to crocketed pinnacles. Crenellated parapet with continuous wave moulding; casement moulded string with cavalcade of animals. 4 centred windows with 4 panelled cusped lights, supermullions. Deep hollow chamfers with roll mouldings to jambs and head, hoodmould returned to buttresses. Sill band to stepped cavetto sills. E and W aisle windows 5 light with differing tracery; arches with central mullions bearing quatrefoils. Return crenellation cut to angle of roof. Polygonal vice at junction with Scott's chancel of 1 bay and 3 sided apse. 3 light panelled tracery, transomed with cusped lights. West door in 3 stage gothick tower. Angle buttresses stepped clearstorey level with crocketed finials. Animal string course continued from aisles with quatrefoil panels above. Pointed, chiefly blind 3 light tracery in sunk panel with architrave to centre stage. Similar to bellcote openings with lozenge motif band bearing clock faces. Crenellated top with finials. Clearstorey has similar work and may be contemporary.

Interior

Nave arcade piers with hollow corner chamfers rise to four centred arches. 4 attached shafts with moulded capitals. Demi angels bearing emblems of Passion and Stanley family at springing points. Cusped compartments with shield bosses to spandrels below string course animals. Triple vaulting shafts rise from angels through frieze of pierced quatrefoils in lozenges to clearstorey. N aisle; original early C16 roof of moulded camber beams with cusped tracery patterns in panels. Stanley emblem on bosses. Nave roof is sympathetic by Scott. 3 good canopied niches (reset?) to S aisle chapel; fine one to N chapel with angel corbel, lion supporters, vine trail, angels to angle shafts, Stanley eagle and child as finial. 1921 Memorial Chapel by T G Jackson. Blind outer lights to aisle windows. Fragmentary medieval glass. Renaissance of 1572 and 1576 over N door. Chancel windows by Wailes. Aisles by Wailes, Clayton and Bell, Lavers and Barraud, Alexander Booker, Burlison and Grylls commemorative to Richard Wilson, landscape artist. Several cartouches, cherub heads etc. Full figure en negligee in classical niche of Robert Davies by Sir Henry Cheere, 1728.