St John The Baptist

N aisle late C13 but N arcade early C14

clearstorey, nave and aisle roofs, W tower and alterations to porch C15

Flint rubble walls roughcast with wavy incised patterning of several periods, Roman brick exposed at E end of chancel as quoins to corners and to 2 shallow buttresses, uncoursed knapped flint facing to tower, limestone dressings

Low-pitched metal roofs to porch, nave and aisles but steep old red tile roofs to chancel and NE chapel

A medieval church with square ends of chancel and NE chapel in line, taller nave with low aisles, long projecting S porch, and large W tower (recessed spire shown on Buckler dwg of 1832 not replaced in 1866 rebuild). Chancel has boarded waggon roof with deep crested cornice at springing, 3-light E window in C14 style but much renewed and with stained glass 1869 by Burlinson & Grylls, below its sill outside are the Roman brick jambs of the lower part of an earlier window, with 2 dressed stones in middle one with 'ihs' cut twice on it

In N wall a 2-bays C13 style arcade (of 1877) opens into N chapel

At E end of S wall is a C13 lancet window with deep internal splays

Late C14 pointed cinquefoil piscina below

C15 low-side window near W end of 2 cinquefoil lights, with sill raised externally

C17 communion table

Arts and Crafts Style Commandment Boards with painted angels flank E window

Red and black chequered tile floor set with C17 black marble floor slabs of Halsey family, also monumental brass to William Croke d.1506 and his wife with 3 shields and indents of 3 children and a shield

On S wall a vigorous baroque gadrooned monument to John Halsey d.1670 with cartouche and bust on top, attributed to Bushnell

Heavy Gothick wall monument to N of altar for T.P. Halsey 1854

Chancel arch C13 with 2 chamfered orders, the lower part of the inner order cut away to make a wider opening

The nave has arcades of 4 bays of similar pointed arches of 2 hollow chamfered orders with dripmoulds and octagonal piers but the S arcade large stiff-leaf capitals typical of the C13 while the N arcade has moulded capitals of the early C14

One or both of the arcades was probably rebuilt in the C14

C15 clearstorey with 3-light cinquefoil windows with square heads, 4 on N side, 3 on S. In SE corner is the narrow upper doorway of the rood-stair, and there is a blocked external slit window

C15 4-bays open timber roof of low pitch with heavy cambered moulded tie-beams, short king-posts, sub-principals, ridge-beam and one purlin to each slope, all moulded with central roll intersecting at floral bosses

Long wallposts fronted by figures of angels (renewed). Next to tower arch is part of a stone base of early C12 possibly belonging to original nave

Early C19 font octagonal with quatrefoil panel on each face

In N wall, 2 windows of C15 type renewed, one of 3 cinquefoil lights under a square head, plain N door below

There is a large external brick and flint buttress and attached on the E a C15/C16 projecting chantry with 3-light trefoil window, flat 4-centred arch inside, and a finely carved wall monument central over of c.1700 with draped bellied cartouche with putti and armorial crest

4-bays C15 open timber aisle roof with hollow chamfered principals, curved braces to wallposts, moulded longitudinal timbers, and hollow chamfered flat-laid joists

Organ in W part of aisle partly covers floor brass of a woman c.1520 with indents of husband, children and inscription

Wall monument 1656 to Stephen Munne

S aisle has 3-light E window of late C15 type with stained glass by Wailes c.1863

C15 bracket for image, with traces of colour

C15 piscina with square head, restored

2 C15 2-light cinquefoil windows on S restored

Early C14 window of 2 lights with quatrefoil over under a label to W of C15 S door with moulded 4-centred door head but C13 moulded rear arch

Long S porch has C13 moulded rear arches to its side windows but is otherwise of C15 with original low pitched timbered roof

Continuous moulding to outer arch and C15 trefoilheaded single-light side windows

Tall buttressed W tower in C15 style (largely rebuilt) is embattled with half-octagonal stair turret on N running the full height

3 stages with stone string courses, gargoyles at foot of parapet, and diagonal buttresses founded on mabel of puddingstone

W doorway and 2-lights window over with fragments of old stained glass in the trefoil heads

Bath-stone tower arch in French C13 style with foliate caps to jamb shafts

C17 scratch-moulded panelling in screen under tower arch, set up in 1936

Early C18 NE mortuary chapel has original 2-light pointed E window, 2-bays arcade to chancel and pointed stone N door down steps both inserted c.1877, and a large number of splendid carved black and white wall monuments of the Halsey family: William Halsey (d.1637) and Letitia Halsey (d.1649) erected 1650 of alabaster and marble

4 separate monuments to the same design each with a bust under a draped baldachino with open segmental pediment on pilasters, Thomas Halsey d.1715, Anne Halsey d.1719, and Jane Halsey d.1725, all attributed to Guelfi, Henshaw Halsey d.1739 attributed to Rysbrack

On W wall an assymetrical monument to Agatha Halsey d.1782 signed by Flaxman, with an angel holding a book

C12 billet and zigzag carved stones built into S wall of chapel

2 C17 chests

This church is a prominent landscape feature in the Gade Valley and is of outstanding interest for its C13 arcade, C15 roofs, and series of Halsey monuments.