St. Mary the Virgin, Little Bentley
LITTLE BENTLEY (St. Mary the Virgin) has a 13th. century chancel with three stepped east lancets, and one each in the north and south walls. The north aisle is Early Perpendicular, but was heightened and lengthened with brick, in the early 16th. century, at which time a lot of renewing and addition took place. The west tower is a mixture of stone, flint, and few odd bricks was built in the 15th. century. Later it was heightened, and battlements were added. The west door is of the same period with shields in the spandrels, and there is a large three-light west window. The south wall is built entirely of brick, with blue brick diapers, a parapet, and a three-light brick window, that has been renewed. The south porch, which is also of brick, with diagonal buttresses and battlements, has three-light side openings. The nave, which is certainly Norman, has a north arcade which was cut roughly through the wall in the 13th. century. The arches have one slight chamfer on circular piers with minimum capitals, and there is a fine hammerbeam roof.
The Font is plain octagonal, with only one shield ..... the Pyrton arms ..... on the east front. Some of the bench ends have poppy-heads, and there is a large, iron-bound, and closely studded Chest with a semi- cylindrical lid, dating from the 15th. century. The helm in the chancel is from the 16th. century.
The Plate is a Cup and Flagon of 1623, both of which have their original leather-covered wooden cases.
In the floor of the vestry is a brass in memory of Sir William Pyrton (1490), his wife,and children.
