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The church consists of nave with north and south aisles, chancel, west tower and south porch. The style is almost uniformly Perpendicular in style, of the early 15th century, although both aisles were substantially rebuilt during the restoration of 1883-7. Not for nothing did Sir John Betjeman refer to it as 'The Cathedral of the Trent Valley".

The exterior is dominated by the large windows, a distinctive feature being the twin windows in the clerestory to each nave bay which creates a sense of a much larger church than it actually is. The tower is exceptionally well proportioned to the church. Exterior features to note are old gargoyles on various parts of the church and the statue in a niche on the south face of the tower. Traditionally thought to represent Sir John Markham (d.1409) who was responsible for the building of the church as it appears today, it is more likely to represent St John the Baptist, the dedicatee of the church. A missable feature is the delicate quatrefoil opening to the rood stairs in the angle of the south aisle and the chancel.

Inside can be seen the one significant feature remaining from the earlier church, the 14th century chancel arch. The aisle arcades are fine examples of early 15th century work; the columns are octagonal with recessed panels and embattled capitals, and there are a series of carved faces, human and animal, forming label stops between the arches. The tower arch is unusually lofty, reaching to the same height as the clerestory windows. Apart from the 5-light east window, all windows are 3-light with tracery.

The east bay of the south arcade is filled with an oak screen of 15th century origin, It was moved here from the chancel arch during the 19th century restoration, with the intention of replacing it with an ornate rood screen and organ loft, designed by Ninian Comper. However, the new incumbent appointed in 1896 had a disagreement with the patron, the Duke of Newcastle, and the churchwardens, with the result that Comper's screen was never built, the funds being transferred to create the screen at Egmanton. Other timber features of note are the Jacobean period pulpit, altar rails and font cover, together with 17th century poor box and parish chest. The font bowl is also Jacobean, but the pedestal, with its unusual incurved legs, is thought to be an older font turned upside-down.

Two sets of stained glass are worthy of particular note. The south aisle windows have medieval glass in the upper lights, mainly fragmentary, but with some recognisable heraldic devices, and in the east window two figures of female saints. The great east window has glass designed by Ninian Comper.

There are two significant medieval monuments. In the chancel is the alabaster box tomb of Sir John Markham (d.1409). He was first King's Sergeant, later Judge in Common Pleas, and was the builder of the present church. The sides of the tomb display roundels with plain shields, and the top is a large single slab of alabaster with an inscription running round the top face. The otherwise plain face is heavily covered in historic graffiti, dating back to at least 1647. The second is to Lady Milicent Meryng, whose second husband was Sir John Markham. She married Sir William Meryng after his death and died herself in 1419. The monument is a fine brass showing a full length portrait of Lady Meryng with a plain strip inscription surrounding the figure. It is thought to have originally been on top of a tomb, but is now in the floor of the east end of the south aisle.

For more information about the church see the Southwell & Nottingham Church History Project Link The church is Listed Grade I.

Created: Tue, 26 Aug 2014, Updated: Fri, 24 May 2019