St Mary’s is a grade 1 listed church with a very fine interior dating from the 15^th century.  In 2005 the PCC wanted to improve the facilities within the church, which serves the large adjacent churchyard, by providing a meeting room and vestry in the end bay of the aisles.

 

A new kitchen, drainage and accessible toilet were inserted behind a new screen in the tower arch at the west end.  Access to the bell ringing level above was provided by a paddle stair, which was an improvement on the previous pull-down ladder.  There was also a need to provide a draught lobby to the north porch..

 

The new screens were designed to be light and simple, but traditional in style and sympathetic to the existing 15^th parclose and rood screens at the east end, which are dark and highly carved. The tower screen was made in oak and of necessity solid, with the vertical structure emphasised and panels made up of small elements.

 

The balustrade to the ringing floor was open to allow a view of the west window.  The aisles screens enclosing the end aisle bays are largely glazed, with the same elements of the design repeated.  The tower and aisle screen enclose the font on three sides and the Vicar has reported that he finds “…the ‘baptistery’ very uplifting.”