The Church
At the end of a narrow single track lane on the outskirts of what has been described as one of the remotest villages in the Cotswolds, St Mary’s is a hidden gem.
Sitting in the heart of the Cotswold AONB the earliest part of the building dates from C11th. The church was extensively restored in 1869–72 when the internal walls were stripped of plaster.
Most of the furnishings date from the Victorian restoration, although some rare C15th poppyhead pews survive. The Gothic Revival interior contrasts with the medieval exterior of this beautiful Grade I listed building.
The church is associated with St Thomas à Becket, with a fragment of mid C14th stained glass believed to depict the saint, with right hand raised in blessing, wearing a brown robe under a white chasuble decorated with golden flowers.
Our Work
At least three species of bat, serotines, brown long-eared bats and Myotis sp, have been recorded in the church, with urine staining and droppings scattered throughout the nave and chancel.
The church worked with the Bats in Churches project to trial cleaning solutions, in particular to improve the appearance of the historic wooden pews by reducing urine staining.
In July 2023, the church held a pew waxing day with church volunteers, a member of the DAC, and project team members and supporters. All the wooden pews and other wood items were cleaned and protected with a specialist heritage wax.
Edgeworth Case Study Poster
Upcoming events
If you’d like to contact or find out more about the church, visit the website or their page on A Church Near You