St Mary The Virgin

MATERIALS: the older parts of the fabric are in local red sandstone, the late medieval additions are in a grey sandstone or a mixture of both.

All roofs are tiles except the south nave aisle which is lead.

The C15 tower has angled buttresses and a northeast stair turret, an embattled parapet and pinnacles.

The belfry has two-light traceried windows with carved terminals to the hood mould.

This aisle has deep stone buttresses and a much later addition of small stone vestry squeezed in between the penultimate bay to the west, this has a south gable set in the lean-to roof containing a two-light window Decorated in design and which appears to be mostly medieval.

The south aisle is modest in size and scale by comparison with the rest of the building with a square-headed late medieval window at its east end and a shallow sloping roof of slate.

The chancel has two (cuspless) Y-tracery windows and a priest's door on its south elevation and one still visible on the north side and a large intersecting (cusped) window of three-lights to the east of c.1300 (with restored masonry).

The chancel arch comprises a series of mouldings which die unto the wall a few feet east of where the building joins the nave, and that the intermediary space was once occupied by a rood screen and loft is indicated by the surviving stair (accessed from the south aisle) and opening at upper level.

PRINCIPAL FIXTURES: The most important interior fixture is the early font, probably early 12th century in date and currently located towards the east end of the north aisle on a raised concrete plinth with step.

However the church also contains some medieval glass, not a common survival in Coventry, in the east window of the south aisle.

Each of the six small lights in the head of the window contains an angel with golden wings and hair and a feathered body, each carrying a large shield displaying heraldry (some repair and or repainting may have occurred).

The glass appears to be late 15th or early 16th century and therefore contemporary with the aisle.

Some good quality late 19th and early 20th century glass is to be found in the church: south chancel window of c.1870

HISTORY: No sign of the 12th century form of the church (attested to by the presence of the font) is evidenced by the current fabric.

The chancel may well have been rebuilt completely in the late 13th to early 14th century, although the Y tracery windows and south door look as though they may have been inserted into earlier fabric and as such the chancel could contain older material in the walls.

There is no clear indication of the extent of the 13th century as such beyond this reasonably sized chancel.

That it was furnished with a rood screen is shown by the surviving opening and stair.

The width of the south aisle is narrow for a late 14th century addition and it may be speculated that an earlier aisle existed on this site when the chancel was constructed.

The current arcade is difficult to date precisely from the architectural details, a c.1300 or thereafter date would not be impossible.

The northern arcade is also of 14th century date and the irregular nature of the two arches, although with matching details suggests this may have led into chapels or respected an earlier arrangement on the site.

The current south aisle outer walls are late 15th to early 16th century and the medieval glass in its east window is contemporary with its construction.

This must have replaced the previous aisle and the heraldic glass suggests local lay patronage.

As access to the east end of this space was already provided by the door to the east it is not clear when this opening was created, it seems to re-use medieval fabric in some of the jambs.

This aisle and the tower are both 15th century in date, but a precise sequence would depend on the availability of documentary evidence.

The internal re-ordering at a similar time has also affected the interior and there are no ancient fittings, notwithstanding the font and the chest, now kept against the east wall of the chancel SOURCES N. Pevsner and A. Wedgwood, Warwickshire , 440.

Victoria County History: Warwickshire Vol 8 , 345 REASONS FOR DESIGNATION The Church of St Mary the Virgin is designated at Grade II* for the following principal reasons: * Extent and historical interest of the medieval fabric (14th century and later) including the surviving windows * Fittings (notably font and medieval glass) of considerable interest and significance * Evidence of the building's earlier arrangements and historical development