The church was built in 1864–65 and designed by the Lancaster architect E. G. Paley. At the same time Paley designed the village school and vicarage.[3] These were financed by Miss Mary Winfield Lambert of Boarbank Hall, who died in 1857 and bequeathed £2,500 (equivalent to £300,000 in 2023)[4] towards the church, £1,000 for the school, and £1,500 for the vicarage.[5]
Architecture
St Mary's is constructed in rock-faced limestone; it has sandstoneashlar dressings, and slate roofs.[2] The architectural style is Decorated.[3] Its plan consists of a five-baynave with a south aisle under a separate roof, a south porch, and a two-bay chancel with a chapel and organ loft to the north. At the west end is an octagonal bell turret surmounted by a spire-let. Internally, the arcade is carried on round piers. The font is square and plain, carried on an octagonal shaft. The pulpit is carved with corbelled triangular arches.[2] In the east window is stained glass from 1921 by Morris & Co. The stained glass in the east window in the aisle dates from 1950 and is by Abbot and Company. Also in the aisle are two windows with a musical theme, designed by Paul G. Chapman.[3] The two-manual organ was designed by Albert Keates, and was restored in about 1930.[6]
^Brandwood, Geoff; Austin, Tim; Hughes, John; Price, James (2012), The Architecture of Sharpe, Paley and Austin, Swindon: English Heritage, p. 220, ISBN978-1-84802-049-8