The first records for St Mary`s church date from the 12th century when it seems to have been a chapel of ease to St Peter`s church. Barton upon Humber was a thriving town and St Mary`s church soon grew from a simple rectangular building to a large church with side aisles and a tower. It is now the parish church. St Mary`s is a splendid building surrounded by Georgian and Victorian buildings. The tall square tower has eight pinnacles, carved balustrade round the top and tall pointed windows with pillars. Much of the detail in the carvings has been lost as a result of weathering. The nave has a clerestory roof above the later side aisles, which have large perpendicular windows. There is a large south porch with a 13th century pointed archway and a room above. Inside it is a large church with a carved font by the door. The arcade separating nave and north aisle is 12th century Norman and has massive round pillars supporting carved round arches above. The south arcade and south aisle are later, dating from about 1300. The octagonal columns with smaller pillars running up them are similar to those seen in Lincoln Cathedral. Apparently the waterleaf capitals are quite rare. The wooden pews survive in the aisles but have been replaced in the nave by chairs. There is a pointed arch at the base of the tower with carefully carved capitols and a carved wood screen shuts off the base of the tower. The side aisles and chancel were stripped by the Victorians down to the stonework. The nave has been replastered and whitewashed. All have a wooden beamed roof. Apart from a Victorian stained glass window in the south aisle, the windows are plain glass making the inside of the church very light. This is a very nice parish church which has grown over the centuries.
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INSIDE THE CHURCH.
The Font.
Chancel Arch.
Octagonal Columns.
19th century organ in a wood panelled casing, this came from St Peter`s church after it closed.
Victorian Choir stalls.
Altar dedicated to St Thomas A Becket.
On the window ledge is a fragment of gravestone to Faith Lowe who died in 1706, aged 23.
This is a massive treasury chest used to store processional crosses and banners. This has massive iron hinges and locks and was carved from a single Oak tree trunk in the 14th or 15th century.
Carved screen.
A simple table altar beneath the massive east window with gothic tracery. This has fragments of Medieval glass.
The simple chancel arch has a crucifix hanging from the ceiling.
A small Victorian carved pulpit.
Lovely full sized brass of Simon Seman, a vintner who was Alderman in London. He died in 1433 and his feet rest on two barrels of wine.
Unusual shaped memorial in the shape of a pillar dedicated to Jane Shipsea who died in childbirth aged 22 in 1626.
The fragments of medieval glass can been seen in the centre of this photo.
The only stained glass window in this church.
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