Inside St Mary's Church, Dymock

St Mary's Church has to rank as one of the most puzzling churches I have visited. Much work is Norman (or earlier), but partial, some in the chancel, some in the nave and what looks like a formal central tower space. Yet the transepts are a bay west of this crossing space and not in alignment with each other (with odd 17th century style window where you might expect rood loft doorway) and the big broad tower (with short spire) is built onto the 14th century west wall of of the nave. Its lower broad diagonal buttresses have ornate panel tracery niches, yet the rest is plain. No west window to the tower either. Famous Norman South doorway with tympanum of Tree of Life, cuts into the earlier Norman work. Long, long interior. Not handsome, without anything special to see yet very interesting and a real puzzle.

(Information provided by Phil Draper)