St Nicholas

It was established as a collegiate church between 1475 and 1485 with a bequest from John Denston, of nearby Denston Hall. An existing 14th century tower was retained, joined to a beautifully crafted new Perpendicular exterior.

Outside the porch is a conspicuous and well preserved holy water stoop. The impressive interior is beautifully proportioned, with nave, aisles and chancel all of a piece. Elegant arcades rise to a lofty timber roof, which has marvellous carved animals running along its edges.

Seven sacrament fonts are an East Anglian specialty, and Denston has one of the best preserved of the few that survive. It dates from the 15th century. Fonts like this were obvious targets after the Reformation as they show scenes from the Catholic sacrament. The Denston font shows a confirmation, a mass, a last rites, and so forth. The oak benches are original, with delightful carved finials featuring a variety of animals. The best known is a carving of what is usually described as an elephant, but of an imagined, or perhaps mythical kind, with what looks like a duck's bill rather than a trunk and swept back ears that resemble a fancy hair do.

The lower part of the rood screen is still here, as is the original, and rare, rood beam (on which the figures of Jesus, Mary and St John would have stood). The chancel has priests' stalls with misericords including an excellent carving of a crane, and the east window contains a large amount of medieval glass fragments.

There is a fine brass of Henry and Margaret Everard, and a table tomb with two macabre shrouded effigies is thought to be of John Denston and his wife.