St Luke

The church was rebuilt from 1630 to 1640 through a bequest of Sir Adam Newton, Lord of the Manor with the north aisle paid for with funds bequeathed by Sir William Newton at the end of the century, and the usual additions in the 19th century.

From the outside, what we see is largely 17th century then, built in brick, with a fine square, castellated tower, low but rather prominent because of the building’s position at the corner of two streets on the brow of a hill. The small interior includes 17th century and later work, and at least one surviving window from the earlier church on the site.

The church is fairly packed with monuments, over 40 in all, of which a quarter are to members of the Wilson and Maryon Wilson family. They are mostly simple panels, but with a couple of much grander things: two massive combined altar tomb and wall monuments, to Lady and Sir Adam Newton himself, by the important sculptor Nicholas Stone the Elder, and to the Viscountess of Ardmagh with much decoration; a full statue to Brigadier Michael Richard, three portrait busts, including one to the assassinated Prime Minster Spencer Perceval, by the great 19th century sculptor Francis Chantrey, and a girl with pot sculpture by Charles Regnart, a skilled but more minor figure.