The Present Day Building

The first stage of the present St.Mary's began with the building of the nave in the early 14th century. It was during this period that the veneration of the Virgin Mary was at its height. The Victoria County History suggests that the south aisle was also built in this period. This would explain the presence of the 14th century Coventry glass in the upper lights of the south aisle showing rather large footed angels bearing the arms of the Peyto (Peto) family of Chesterton, who inherited the estate in 1349 after the death of John de Loges, Lord of the Manor of Sowe.

The south aisle contains other interesting features such as the massive studded oak door, believed to have been made from local oak. The great south door is original to the 14th century south aisle. The huge iron hinges on this massive door measure some 45 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide, the lock itself is suitably large being 18 inches long and 9 inches wide. The interior side of the door was re-lined sometime before 1880.

As the door itself was first hung when churches were still regarded as places of last refuge during time of trouble, it is studded with large iron rivets 1 inch across. These rivets were heated, burned through the wood and hammered flat. The reason for studding these early doors was simply to make the door itself more difficult to breech by force.