St Laurence's is an unusually shaped building with a central tower that appears to have been built partway into the nave, dividing it into two shorter segments either side of the 'crossing' and giving the it an odd 'three chambered' look. The churchyard drops dramatically to the south towards the road making this the most striking elevation externally, though the west end with it's large window (with odd asymmetrical details in the tracery) is also impressive.
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Given these irregularities the interior is thus a little confusing, with a nave aisles that are strangely short and narrow (the arcades are only two bays long, but the spans of the arches are large), whilst further along the north side is a more generous aisle that extends from the tower to the east end of the chancel. The great G.F.Bodley did some renovation and redecoration here, but only a small patch of his stencilling remains in this aisle roof. The nave ceiling is original 15th century work and is a 'wagon roof', curved in section and of a type more commonly found in the West Country.
There is some old woodwork in the chancel screens but otherwise the glass is the main point of interest, with a window of 14th century fragments (mostly grisaille) and some good quality windows by Kempe, a late Arts & Crafts piece by Camm's , and a striking west window done for the Millennium designed by Graeme Wilson of York, some of the cartoons for which are displayed in the adjacent aisle.
Stained Glass
The church possesses a good collection of stained glass windows of various dates, beginning with fragments of the church's original medieval glazing and culminating in the magnificent west window installed for the Millennium.
The earliest glass is the collection of fragments of late 13th/early 14th century grisaille assembled in patchwork form in a south chancel window. We can deduce from this that there was a fair amount of painted clear glass which might have looked more austere, though what we have is likely simply material from the non-figurative sections of windows that would have attracted less hostile attention than the imagery in the Post-Reformation period.
The next glass chronologically is that now in the east window by Burlison & Grylls of London, a studio who worked in a neo Flemish/northern Renaissance style and were frequently used by Bodley so likely appointed by him during his restoration of the church. It is one of this studio's earlier pieces (c1870) and has suffered some paint loss in places, unlike their slightly later window immediately adjacent on the south side from 1874, whose painted detail remains crisp and intact.
Further along on the south side, below the tower, are two fine windows by the ever prolific studio of C.E.Kempe from 1899. The figures and details bear all Kempe's usual hallmarks and are immediately recognisable, but are good examples nonetheless, and one of the faces (St Paul) bears the likeness of a former vicar.
In the larger north aisle are two more painted windows, one representing two angels (possibly by Westlake, Lavers & Barraud) whilst beyond it a much more significant piece by the Camm Studio of Smethwick portraying SS Francis, Cecilia & Christopher, a late flowering of the Arts & Crafts style by the incredibly talented Florence Camm and her brothers. The detail in this window is gorgeous, even if the overall colouring is more muted than in her earlier work elsewhere. The most enjoyable elements are the small scenes below each figure, especially that showing the Hebrew figure in the Temple, a reference to the commemoratee's Masonic links!
Finally the west window impresses with it's dramatic golden figure of Christ flanked by angels in three vertical strips of colour alternating with plainer elements. It was designed by the mural artist Graeme Wilson of York and made by the 'Art of Glass' studio. The artist's original design and cartoons for the three main figure are displayed in the north aisle nearby.
Furnishings & Memorials
There are few monuments to note within the church, the foremost being the colourful tablet to John Wollaston (d.1615) on the north side of the chancel.
Nearby are the screens that define the north chapel, that facing into the chancel being a substantial piece of medieval woodwork, whilst the western facing one within the aisle looks like part of Bodley's late Victorian restoration, as are certain sections of ceiling decoration in this part of the church, with stencilled motifs and colouring that formerly covered more of the interior of the building (gilded star motifs remain on the chancel ceiling too).
The font at the west end is a simple drum-like piece that with so few features is hard to date, but likely has it's origins as far back as the Norman period. The stone pulpit with simple traceried panels may be restored late 15th century work.