"Parish Church of St. Mary stands in the S.W. part of the parish. The walls are of local sandstone rubble with ashlar and dressings of the same material; the roofs are slate-covered. The N. arcade and aisle were built c. 1220–30, followed by the S. arcade and aisle immediately after; the varied detail of the renewed E. responds and the skewed line of the chancel-arch may indicate that this wall is of earlier date than the rebuilding of the nave-arcades. The Chancel was re-built at the beginning of the 14th century, and c. 1340 the N.W. Tower and spire were added. A N. porch was added in the angle between the tower and N. aisle, probably in the 15th century, but has now been destroyed. The Nave and Aisles were re-built, largely with the old materials, in 1860.
The church is remarkable for its apsidal chancel and sanctus bell-cote.
Architectural Description—The Chancel (41¼ ft. by 20 ft.) is of the early years of the 14th century and has a three-sided apse, each face with a window of two trefoiled lights with a cinque-foiled and sub-cusped circle in a two-centred head with a moulded label. In both the N. and S. walls, W. of the apse, are two similar windows; between those in the N. wall is a doorway with chamfered jambs and two-centred head, perhaps of rather later date than the rest of the wall. The two-centred chancel-arch is of two continuous chamfered orders; the springing-stones are notched for a former beam and lower down there are two more notches for other beams; flanking the arch are two 14th-century squints with chamfered jambs and two-centred heads. On the gable is a reconstructed sanctus bell-cote with a pointed opening and a gabled head of the 14th century.
The Nave (14½ ft. by 19¾ ft.) has a reconstructed N. arcade of four bays of c. 1220–30, with two-centred arches of two chamfered orders and chamfered labels; the cylindrical columns have moulded capitals and bases and the W. respond has an attached half-column; the E. respond, though modern, is of a different and earlier type than the rest of the arcade. The reconstructed S. arcade is of c. 1230–40, and generally similar to the N. arcade but with rather later details; the E. respond is modern and similar to the E. respond on the N. In the W. wall is a modern window, and above it is a modern window in the gable. The clearstorey has three modern windows on each side.
The North Aisle (7½ ft. wide) has no ancient features.
The South Aisle (7½ ft. wide) has modern windows, but re-set in the S. wall is a 13th-century doorway with jambs and two-centred arch of two moulded orders and a moulded label, all much retooled and renewed.
The North-West Tower (11 ft. wide) is of c. 1340 and of three stages, ashlar-faced and finished with a plain parapet, pinnacles and a stone spire. Internally it was divided into five storeys. The ground storey has, in the E. wall, a doorway with jambs and two-centred arch of two chamfered orders with a moulded label; the N. and W. walls have each a loop-light. On the E. face are marks of the roof of the former porch and the lower stones of the moulded W. jamb of the 15th-century outer entrance. The second storey has, in the E. wall, a single-light window with a trefoiled ogee head and seats in the embrasure. The third storey has a single trefoiled ogee light in the N. wall. There is a similar window in the E. wall of the fourth storey, which retains only the corbels of its former floor. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a window of two trefoiled ogee lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head; beside the E. window is a panel with a shield-of-arms, a bend. The octagonal ashlar-faced spire rises from within the parapet and rests on stone squinches; the upper part has two ranges of crockets.
The Roof of the chancel is probably of the 17th century and has three trusses, with tie-beams, collars and king-posts.
Fittings—Bells: six; 2nd, 3rd and 6th, 1622, founder uncertain. In the Hereford Museum—Small bell of early or Celtic form (15 in. high) found in a pond at Marden about 1860. Brasses: In chancel— on S. wall, (1) of Margaret (Welford), wife of Sir George Chute, 1614, and Anne and Francis, 1614, their daughters, figures of woman and daughters on plates, inscription and shield-of-arms; (2) to Henry Wall, 1579, inscription only. Door: In E. doorway of tower—of nail-studded battens, 17th-century. Font: twelve-sided bowl with trefoil-headed panel in each face, moulded under side, plain stem and moulded base, late 13th or early 14th-century, stem modern or re-cut. Monuments: In chancel—on S. wall, (1) to Philibert Burghill, 1653, and Jane (Garnens), his wife, 1661, white marble tablet with cornice, cherub-head, urns and cartouche-of-arms. In churchyard— head-stones, E. of chancel, (2) to Anne
, wife of . . ., and Anne, wife of Edw[ard ?] . . ., c. 1700, twin head-stone; (3) to John Greene, c. 1700; (4) to Ann, daughter of William . . ., 1708. Panelling: In chancel—cupboard incorporating 17th-century panels and brackets. Piscina: In chancel—recess with trefoiled head and rough drain, early 14th-century. Plate: includes cup without marks, cover-paten, stand-paten and flagon, all of 1707. Scratchings: On tower— various scratched crosses and other marks. Miscellanea: On N. face of tower, traces of red line said to have been made for the game of fives. In chancel—in side walls, chace and two iron staples, probably connected with the lenten-veil.
In the nave, near the W. wall, is a well, traditionally connected with St. Ethelbert, who is said to have been first buried here."
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