Low Marnham
St Wilfrid

Archaeology

The church comprises a nave with south porch, north and south aisles, chancel with a two bay north chapel, and a west tower.

South arcade North arcade

The earliest visible fabric (though see exterior north wall details below) belongs to the nave arcades, both of which are of the 13th century. The south arcade is more ornate than the north with complex, octagonal-core piers with detached shafts, capitals with crocket leaves and stiff-leaf ornament, all resembling work at Lincoln Cathedral.

The 13th century work is continued into the chancel and the two bay north chapel has a single column with a half-octagonal core, surrounded by four detached shafts, similar to the nave south arcade.

The fenestration throughout is of the 14th to 15th centuries, with an added clerestory above the north and south nave arcades dating from the 15th century. Some medieval glass survives in the north aisle.

South doorway Tower
Face carving Rubble walling

A very fine, partially restored, 14th century doorway with exceptional ogee moulding opens into the south aisle from the porch. Unusually this doorway has no capitals, but does feature two restored head label-stops.

The two stage west tower is of typical Nottinghamshire Perpendicular style, dating from the 15th century. There are many fine masons' marks visible within the tower stair.

The south porch is an addition, or rebuilding, dating entirely from the 19th century.

There is an unusual, small single human face carved into the north-west corner of the nave wall, of uncertain purpose.

The exterior north wall of the nave, west of the termination of the north aisle, shows a clear change in fabric to a rougher, rubble form with large and irregular western quoins; this may be indicative of an earlier phase of building, perhaps pre-dating the north aisle. By contrast the south aisle terminates together with the clerestory extension, just overlapping the south wall of the tower, however, earlier quoins of a possible aisleless nave are also visible.