St Mary's, Northchurch:

History

The origins of St Mary's are unknown and no date has ever been set for the establishment of this place of worship. The foundations beneath the West end of the church are agreed to be of Saxon construction, which means that St Mary's is one of the oldest churches in Hertfordshire. The original church was subsequently extended eastwards between the 11th and 14th centuries, to form a cruciform building, and a tower was added over the crossing during the 15th century. There are now 8 bells hung in the tower. The only addition to this structure was during the late 19th century, when the north aisle was added.

The internal decor reflects Victorian sensitivities, with renewed windows containing 19th and early 20th century stained glass. However, a major re-ordering project occurred in 1980, when the organ and choir stalls were moved from the north transept to the west end of the church, and a nave altar constructed beneath the crossing. The Lady Chapel was refurbished in 1997 and a stained glass window introduced into the south transept in 2000 to mark the new millennium.