Architectural Features
South face: diagonally-set buttress left, blocked doorway with 3-centred arch left, Saxon doorway, now partly window, right, semi-circular head and hoodmould, beast head over.
Here is the lofty west bell tower at St. Mary's parish church, which was built in the 9th century during the Anglo-Saxon times. Some evidence of herringbone masonry can be seen in this view.
Wing wall on left for apse, projecting strip decoration at corners, carrying triangular pediment with angel carving.
Here is the parish church of St. Mary in Deerhurst, which has a detailed history behind it. It was founded as a Benedictine monastery in the 8th century, and that was when the nave and apse (chancel) was built. The monastery later housed an alien priory from 1060 to 1339, then housed a Benedictine priory until 9th January 1540. The building here was not demolished since it served as the parish church for Deerhurst, and it still is the main church of that parish now. The church is well-known for preserving much of its Anglo-Saxon features, such as the west bell tower, sculptures (e.g. angel carving on the southern wall of the chancel), double-headed Saxon window in the west wall of the nave, etc. This was grade I listed in July 1960. I first heard of this church in early 2017 when I read the English Parish Churches book by Edwin Smith, Olive Cook and Graham Hutton. The book was given to me by my late great-grandfather (1925-2018) and that made me more interested in architecture that year; coincidentally I visited this church on the day I created my Geograph account four years ago.
Three-bay C13 arcade each side, clustered responds to short lengths of wall between each, leaf and trumpet-scalloped capitals, alternating light and darker stones in arches on south side.
Two Saxon doorways each side chancel, blocked arch to apse visible on east, Decalogue painted on infill.
Communion rails early C17, moulded head and sill, turned balusters, ball finials.
Roof king-post trusses, infilled carved tracery, wall posts and braces from corbels, one pair moulded purlins, moulded ridge and cornice.
Timberwork late C15 at west end, 1861 copy at east.
East end aisle plaster removed, exposing various blocked pre-Norman openings and recesses.
South aisle rendered, responds for C12 arches across aisle on north side, piscina recess south, remains of rood loft-stairs and doors
Fittings: C9 tub font on circular base, reduced at foot to octagon, carved spiral decoration.
The ancient font in Deerhurst church dates from the 9th century.
C15 pews at west end south aisle, blind tracery ends, moulded upper rail to back.
Semi- octagonal carved wooden pulpit on stone base, by W. Slater, 1861, carved by Forsyth.
C1400 Cassey brass in north aisle, two later brasses
The brass plaque beside the window is in memory of Joseph Henry Butterworth who died October 27th 1828.
stone coffin lid with foliate cross: mid-late C18 wall monuments at west end north aisle, one with pedimented top and scrolled sides.
There many wall monuments in the western end of the north aisle as seen here.
Various early-mid C19 wall monuments.
Medieval glass in west window south aisle
This Victorian stained-glass window is placed in the west end of the north aisle.
Apse demolished by 1547.
Bigland noted that the spire was blown down in 1666.