History page 4
LADY CHAPEL and NORTH AISLE
In the early 1300s, preceding the later 1398-1420 remodeling, a chapel was added to the north of the Sanctuary. It has a two bay arcade to the chancel, and was dedicated to Our Lady the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The east window of the Lady Chapel, dated 1863, is spectacular and made of very expensive enamelled glass. Note the central figure of Our Lady with the north elevation of St Mary's church behind her. The window is by Hardman, as is the northeast window in the chapel. In 1910 the organ, which had been housed in St. Leonard's Chapel and the modern Vestry/Sacristry area, was moved into the Lady Chapel. Mercifully, the Lady Chapel was restored to use again in 1967 when the organ was repositioned to the west end of the Victorian north aisle (its present position).
In the 1852-56 Victorian restoration of the church by Benjamin Ferry, a second north aisle was added to the church. This now forms the modern Vestry/Sacristry and Choir Vestry. A western entrance portal to the new aisle was also added as a new main entrance to St. Mary's (it can be seen to north of the tower). This portal is now closed due the 1967 repositioning of the organ. The exterior north door of the Vestry/Sacristry is especially ancient and the subject of dendrological investigation. Viewed from the outside, it has intriguing carvings.