St. Mary's Church dates from around 1130. It probably replaced an earlier Saxon church on this site, and retains a simple Saxon layout, with a rectangular chancel and an aisleless nave. The frescos inside are the most outstandingly complete and well-preserved medieval wall paintings in England. Those in the chancel, dating from the early 12th century, are particularly rare, and are the most complete set of Romanesque paintings in northern Europe. The roof was built in the early 12th century, making it the earliest and most complete Norman timber roof known in Britain. The west door into the tower is one of the earliest doors still in use in England, constructed of timber felled around 1120.
(28th May 2022)
