St Mary
Car Colston, Nottinghamshire
The oldest part of the church dates from the 13th century.
There are many items of interest within the church, in particular the chancel screen. The framework of the lower part of the screen is 15th century and there is thought to have been more extensive medieval woodwork until the Victorian era. A medieval grotesque figure can be seen on this part of the screen.
Much of the current interior is the work of Sir George Gilbert Scott, working in the 19th century. One of the bells celebrates the defeat of the Armada, and there are a number of fine carved headstones in the churchyard.
It is uncertain when the church became known as St Mary & All Saints. St Mary was added to the original name of the church in acknowledgement of the Guild of St Mary, which had formed a part of the life of the church and community in the Middle Ages. The new name began to take hold around 1950 and has now become the name by which the church is most commonly known, frequently now being shortened to merely St Mary’s.