James Fowler rebuilt St Mary's in 1879 and added the bell-turret with its spire.

He retained the 13th century arcades and the Norman arch at the west end.

May 2012

James Fowler rebuilt St Mary's in 1879 and added the bell-turret with its spire.

He retained the 13th century arcades and the Norman arch at the west end.

May 2012

View from the north-west showing the north porch with its simple round-headed doorway (twelfth century).

Peter Kirk Collection, 1991

Kelly's Directory 1930 reports :-

"The church of St. Mary is an edifice of stone in the Norman, Transitional, Early English and later styles, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, north porch and a western bell-cote with spirelet supported on framing and containing one bell:

the church, until 1880, consisted of a short chancel and nave only, the aisles and western tower having been taken down on account of their ruinous condition, but in that year the whole structure was thoroughly restored under the direction of Mr. James Fowler, architect, of Louth, when the chancel was rebuilt on the old foundations, a vestry, organ chamber and north porch added, the aisles re-erected, the 14th century arcades, which had been built up, being reopened, and the flooring laid anew and the chancel refitted at a total cost of £2,000:

during the rebuilding several stone coffins with floriated crosses were exhumed ; these are now at the west ends of the north and south aisles :

there are also three ancient slabs in-scribed to Sir Philip de Chauncey, John de Gothmundharn and one to a member of the De Bohun family :

there are 180 sittings"

DB 20 July 2023

White's Directory 1872 (before Fowler's later restoration) states :-

"The Church (St. Mary) is a small building, without a tower, and the benefice is a rectory, valued in K.B. at £8. 10s. 10d., and now at £700, having 686 acres of land, allotted in lieu of tithes; and a handsome Rectory House, which was rebuilt in 1840, at the cost of about £1800. The Lord Chancellor is patron, and the Rev. Edward Cove, B.A., incumbent" 

DB 20 July 2023

A closer view of the altar.

DB 20 July 2023

"Cusped aumbry with hoodmould"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1165474?section=official-list-entry 

DB 20 July 2023

C19 encaustic tiles throughout the church. Image shows tiles in the sanctuary.

DB 20 July 2023

Organ contained in a C13 arch.

DB 20 July 2023

Organ and choir stalls.

DB 20 July 2023

C19 roof.

DB 20 July 2023

Looking east towards the chancel.

"Late C13 north and south arcades each of 3 bays with double chamfered pointed arches, octagonal piers and polygonal responds with octagonal capitals. Some bases and plinths by Fowler"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1165474?section=official-list-entry 

DB 20 July 2023

Looking west towards the font.

C19 pews. 

DB 20 July 2023

"Interior west end has blocked remnants of C12 round headed tower arch with large imposts"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1165474?section=official-list-entry 

DB 20 July 2023

"C12 octagonal stone font with quatrefoils scored on octagonal support"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1165474?section=official-list-entry 

DB 20 July 2023

C19 pulpit.

DB 20 July 2023

C19 roof.

DB 20 July 2023

Looking east towards the war memorial and altar.

DB 20 July 2023

Looking west.

DB 20 July 2023

War memorial, altar and memorial to Edward Cove at the east end of the north aisle.

DB 20 July 2023

Kelly's Directory 1930, referring to the C19 restoration by James Fowler, reports that :-

"during the rebuilding several stone coffins with floriated crosses were exhumed; these are now at the west ends of the north and south aisles"

DB 20 July 2023

"IN ME MEMORY OF EDWARD COVE, FORTY FIVE YEARS RECTOR OF THIS PARISH, WHO DIED MARCH 17 1875 AGED 73 YEARS"

DB 20 July 2023

First World War memorial unveiled 1923.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/54396 

DB 20 July 2023

"TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF JOSEPH WILLIAM COCKERILL AND HAROLD KENT WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918 MAY THEY REST IN PEACE"

DB 20 July 2023

"C19 north porch has ... Round headed doorway to north with rectangular jambs, grooved imposts and limestone hoodmould. Coped gable with finial above"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1165474?section=official-list-entry 

DB 20 July 2023

"Porch interior flanked by stone benches with late C12 round headed double chamfered doorway with inner rectangular jambs and outer C19 circular jambs with shaft rings, moulded bases and stiff leaf capitals. Plank door"

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1165474?section=official-list-entry 

DB 20 July 2023

Looking east.

DB 20 July 2023

Looking west.

DB 20 July 2023

"IN THIS CHANCEL LIE THE REMAINS OF THE REVD. EDWARD COVE VICAR OF BRIMPTON IN THE COUNTY OF BERKS WHO DIED FEBY. 20TH 1840 AGED 64 YEARS"

DB 20 July 2023

The building on the left (TF 166967) contains an overshot water wheel erected in c1818 to provide power for a threshing machine and other barn machinery in the farm building opposite.

Gearing from the wheel drove a shaft passing under the road.

The water was fed from an overhead leet linked to a reservoir on the valley side but this no longer remains.

Frank Robinson, 2010

A second view of the waterwheel house, this time from the west.

Water to power the overshot wheel entered the rear (south) wall of the building through a launder (open wooden trough) about 5m (16ft) above the wheelhouse floor level.

There is a high level circular opening in the gable wall, currently obscured by vegetation. Its position is similar to the one in the east gable (previous photo). This opening had no function other than to admit light.

Jean Howard, July 2020 

The diameter of the wheel is17ft 10in; its width is 2ft 6in. There are 64 buckets formed in timber and iron plate.

Jean Howard, July 2020