Pembridge - Church of St Mary the Virgin

The church of St Mary the Virgin (Historic Churches Trust) is best known for its detached Bell House, dating from the 14th century or even earlier an extraordinary pagoda like timber structure rising from a massive octagonal stone base. Inside can be seen the eight immense wooden posts, braced horizontally and diagonally, which support the upper stages. Even without the belfry the church would be noteworthy, for it is a noble 14th century building, beautifully proportioned, lofty and spacious, with a clerestory of unusual circular windows running right around the walls, including two over the chancel arch. The stair to the vanished rood loft is contained in a pinnacle crowned turret. In the south transept are the remains of medieval wall painting (white circles on a red ground), and there and elsewhere are lettered panels of the Lord's Prayer, etc. which the Puritans painted on the whitewash with which they obliterated the earlier superstitious paintings. The Jacobean pulpit, the lectern and the reading desk have carved panels featuring dragons, including a delightful one on the reading desk in which a flop eared dog is bravely confronting a ferocious monster. The communion rails