St Laurence
Pittington, County Durham
One of County Durham's finest Norman churches with 12th century arcades, Norman font and a rare 12th century wall painting.
St Mary's dominates both the village of West Rainton and the local skyline with a 130ft spire built 13 years after the church opened by Sir George Elliot in memory of his daughter. Both the Elliot and Boyd families have very close connections with the village and church. Elliot was gifted a stone from the Great Pyramid by the Khedive of Egypt after his help with the Suez canal and this stone is on view.
Behind the altar the reredos is by Antonio Salviati of Morano, Venice.
The church is large and welcoming and currently undergoing major stonework repairs.