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One of the longest churches in Herefordshire, stretching almost 120 feet in length, St Mary’s is built around a 12th century central tower,
with a later 15th century shingled spire. The east end of the nave is also 12th century, with a south aisle added in the 13th century and an
early 14th century chancel and south chapel. The exterior features considerable Romanesque carving detail around the windows and angles
of the tower. The Norman choir arch and Early English tower arches also show lovely carving detail in the capitals and column bases. There
is evidence of an underground passage between the tower and the nearby Stone House, used by priests. The church was probably founded
when the Abbey of Lyre had the patronage. The powerful Chandos family became patrons of the living in 1300 and they extended the church
and built the chancel.
St Mary’s is famous for its superb 12th century tympanum, probably the work of the Herefordshire School of craftsmen who produced the
remarkable carvings at Kilpeck and Shobdon. The tympanum is thought to have been carved around 1140AD, but we do not know which
doorway it originally graced; it was built into the exterior west wall in the Victorian period, then later moved inside to preserve the carvings.
It is now set against the west wall of the nave, directly beneath a large window (which makes it much harder to see the carvings clearly due to
light coming through the window!).
Fownhope, Herefordshire, St Mary’s Church