Facilities and features
Accessibility
We have 3 toilets, one of which is disabled accessible with handrails.
One also has baby changing facilities.
We have a Baby Changing drop down table in the disabled toilet.
There is limited parking on the church drive.
However it is single file parking which means cars can get stuck in a queue.
Our disabled toilet facility has self help rails and low level washbasin for those in wheelchairs.
St. Marys has limited parking which we try to keep for the disabled.
There is a local car park a few minutes from the church with 160 parking spaces.
We have a small ramp into the main church and level access into the adjoining church hall.
We have Hearing (Induction) Loops in both the church and church hall.
All our services have Large Print Service Books and Hymn Books available.
Assistance Dogs are very welcome at St. Mary's, as are all dogs.
We are pleased to welcome ALL visitors irrespective of their requirements and have a vibrant welcome team on the door at all main services who are very pleased to help all visitors who do not know the building from where to sit, to ensuring they have the right type of hymn and service books to showing them where the toilets are.
Our Building
We have a Grade 2* Church Building.
The tower was John Nash designed and built in 1816'
The main church was demolished and rebuilt in 1866-68 and the Chancel enlarged with a new vestry adjoining in 1907. The interior is a very classic design of red, blue and yellow brickwork with a stone clad exterior.
Music and Worship
Concerts are held at various times during the year providing a wide range of different styles and genres of music.
These range from Choral music provided by Choirs to Brass and Wind Concert bands, Recitals, Male Voice Choirs, Barbershop, Schools and over the years many others.
The organ is a 'Father Willis' original. First played on Easter Day 1874 and rebuilt and enlarged in 1984.
It has two manuals and pedal board with a wide range of stops, Toe pistons, couplers and Tremulant on the Great.
The blower is housed in a separate building external to the church and brought in through an underground trunk.
Book of Common Prayer Services on 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month at 8 am with Said Holy Communion as well as Evensong at 6 pm for some festival Sundays.
Our choir consists of Sopranos, Contraltos, Tenors and Basses.
They sing every Sunday at the Main 11 am service with an anthem every week as well as at other services throughout the year as required.
On Sundays where we combine with our sister Church at Holy Trinity, they sing at Holy Trinity as the choir as we then don't have a service.
The choir are also available to sing when required at Weddings and Funerals.
Groups, Courses and Activities
Our social and fund raising committee hold a coffee morning on the 1st Tuesday of every month in the adjoining church hall at 10.30 -12noon.
St. Mary's Social and Fund Raising committee hold regular community events in the church hall, to which everyone is welcome.
These will include Themed nights, Coffee Mornings, Fairs, Quiz Nights etc.
St. Mary's does not have any Street Pastors affiliated to them, however the church community do support the Islands Street Pastors.
Our sister Church of Holy Trinity does have some Street Pastors.
Help for Visitors
Other Features
St. Mary's actively supports the local food bank with congregation giving regularly to our collection point.
This is then taken weekly to the food bank.
St Mary's has audio visual facilities available for use in both the church and church hall.
We also live stream our 11am service every Sunday on YouTube.
St. Mary's is in a conservation area, and all its trees are protected in Tree conservation area.
The adjoining Church Hall is available to hire for one off and regular bookings at £12.50 per hour.
Please contact Mr. Chris Buckett on 07887685584 to book.