As is often claimed by many a parish church looking for tenuous ancient origins, North Cerney's church may be built on the site of a former Saxon place of worship, the evidence given being some possible Saxon foundations discovered when installing heating, and a reused mass dial in the tower masonry, which may not even be Saxon. However, the definitive starting point in this iteration of the building's story is excitingly found in the early 12th century, with a Romanesque Norman church being constructed on this site, of which a gratifyingly palpable amount still survives. The primary giveaway feature of this era is the south doorway with its diapered tympanum (see the Treasures segment on it below), with the lower two stages of the tower and their round-headed windows also dating to this era. The chancel arch was remodelled to its current form in around 1180-90, and the building was extended around 1200, involving lengthening the chancel and adding the upper Transitional stage of the tower, which at that time was a regular square headed tower. Additionally, the south porch was added in the mid-14th century, including its original roof timbers.

However, disaster struck in the 1460s, with a devastating fire causing much of this existing building to be severely damaged, and a significant amount of it required total rebuilding in the aftermath. One of the primary victims was the tower, whose upper stage suffered extensive damage to the walls on its north and south sides, requiring the belfry windows on these faces to be cut in half and the tower converted into a saddleback configuration. Additionally, the newel staircase which projects slightly on the southwest corner of the tower was built on. The nave was also heavily rebuilt and enlarged after the fire with a new battlemented parapet and low-pitched roofline, and the Lady Chapel to the south and St. Catherine's chapel to the north were both added later that century. The north window of the latter chapel used to be located on the north wall of the nave, but was moved when the chapel was added on. Most, if not all of this post-fire beautification is attributed to the will and determination of William Whitchurch, the incumbent rector at the time.

The 16th century escaped further fires (although I'm sure the Reformation more than made up for this!) and saw fewer changes to the overall structure of the building, with the addition of the low west window in the tower being the only significant change, and the 17th century was hardly more active. Unfortunately, the 18th century treated the church poorly, with the 1734 (or 1736; I can't seem to find a reliable answer) rebuilding of the chancel all but obliterating the effigial tomb of a 14th century rector of the church in one insensitive and short-sighted fell swoop. The westernmost window in the south side of the nave was also added during this century and the west gallery was built in 1754.

The Victorian restoration was somehow not as cruel as the 1734 changes, with Frederick Waller (father or son I am not sure) carrying out a restoration in the 1870s-80s which does not seem to have changed much other than the addition of an unobtrusive little vestry nestled between the nave and St. Catherine's chapel which is surmounted by the sensitively styled organ chamber. The church in the 20th century benefitted from the patronage of William Iveson Croome of nearby Cerney House, who partnered with architect F. C. Eden to give the church new furnishings. These include the 1912 screen to the Lady Chapel (carved by Lawrence Turner), the 1924 reredos in the chancel, the 1930 rood loft, the altars in both chapels, and the purchase and installation of many Flemish, Spanish, Italian, and French period artefacts to adorn the church.

The information here has been taken variously from the church's information guides and the Historic England listing. 

Any Cotswold country church is likely to have a fantastic and unspoiled setting and aspect, and North Cerney's is certainly no exception. Located in the picturesque Churn Valley, the church lies up a winding road on rising ground and can be approached either imposingly from below or unfolding from above. The church is a strange beast from the outside, a riot of styles and entrances, stairways, doors, battlements, random rubble in conflict dressed ashlar in conflict with limewashed pebbledash. And yet, the church is singularly pleasing to look upon.

Attempting to enter the church is another matter. The south porch beckons, and indeed it is very much welcome to do so given that it contains the fabulous south doorway, but attempting to open said door will inevitably lead to disappointment, as the handle does not work and the door is bolted twice on the inside. But fear not! Access to the church is gained through the door in the south side of the newel staircase of the tower, a small and unassuming entrance which I would normally assume to be locked on any other building. However, North Cerney is no regular building, and entering through this door will take you into a midpoint of the stairwell, which leads up towards the belfry and down into the lower stage of the tower. This is the kitchen and storage area, and is not the most atmospheric of entrances into a building, but going through the screen into the main body of the church is where it begins to come into its own.

The church is thrillingly busy with furnishings and artefacts at every turn, and exudes a sanctity which, while not wholly ancient, is simultaneously solemn and whimsical. It is impossible to describe accurately, in fact. An unobstructed view to the chancel is hard to come by, but glimpses of it from any other location in the church will show that it is set apart, being light and airy like the nave, but without quite as much of a throng of decorative items to divide one's attention. This is a truly unique space and one which is incredibly rewarding to explore.

There are many corbel heads of various dates dotted around the church, livening up the structural elements of the church with a bit of whimsy. The largest and finest set are located along the north wall of the nave and support the 15th century ceiling, installed after the fire and contemporary with the corbels themselves. These show three large and boldly designed heads, all with a shocked, bewildered and dreading expression on their faces (this is the best parallel I can draw!); in fact, they would be rather lifelike were it not for the untoward googly eyes. The two outer ones show crowned men, a king with a crown and a peer with a coronet, and the central one shows a tonsured clergyman. There is some debate over the subjects of these corbels; the westernmost one is generally believed to show King Henry VI (which also aids in attempting to date the fire, as Henry was deposed in 1461 and as such would not have been being depicted in corbels after this date, with the exception of his brief reinstatement in 1470-71), with the other crowned figure with his wonderful moustache being supposed to represent the Lord of the Manor at the time, the Duke of Buckingham. The central cleric is thought to be a 15th century rector of the church, either Robert Hotost, Richard Musselwyck, or, potentially most likely, William Whitchurch who led much of the rebuilding effort.

As well as preserving numerous examples of medieval carving work, North Cerney's church can also boast a surprisingly substantial amount of surviving medieval stained glass in its windows. There are three examples to be found in the church; two in the windows of the St. Catherine's chapel and the other in the east window of the Lady Chapel.

The two examples in chapel of St. Catherine were given to the church by incumbent priests and date from the late 15th century. That of the east window was a gift of John Bicote, a curate, around the year 1500, and shows Christ crucified at the top of its central light, with a small figure of Bicote himself kneeling beneath. St. Mary and St. John fill the lights either side of this, and all three are surrounded with a complete patterned border while fragments fill the small upper lights. This unusually complete composition is exceptional and a testament to North Cerney's ancient atmosphere and rebirth from the ashes of the devastating fire which spurred its remodelling.

A closer look at the three saints. St. Catherine stands with her sword and a book on the left, St. Mary with a sceptre in one hand and the Christ Child in the other, and St. Margaret stands with a large cross and her dragon heaped at her feet. All three figures seem uncomfortably close to the edge of their respective lights; I am not sure why this would be desirable, as it was surely easily avoidable. | Taken 31/07/24

Even though the church cannot be accessed through the obvious route, it is very much still worth stepping into the cool shade of the south porch to admire the south doorway, excellent in every aspect of its form. The door surround, including the fine tympanum and lintel, date from the original 12th century church, while the door itself is made of 15th century carved timbers and additionally retains its original closing ring. The doorway has been shielded from the elements for the majority of its lifetime, being protected by a porch since the mid-14th century, and this close guarding is evident in the fact that the carved components of the door are for the most part remarkably sharp in detail and well preserved.

The Norman doorway consists of two jambs each with simple scalloped capitals supporting a whopper of a tympanum which is almost as tall as the door itself if the lintel is included as part of the ensemble. The central space is tidily diapered, with a remarkably uneven course of chevron decoration surrounding it followed by simpler roll mouldings. The lintel is also diapered, but curiously includes four tiny human heads, asymmetrically placed and breaking up the design with their well-worn and thin faces.

The door itself is squat and rectangular, decorated with five lights of attractive blind tracery, cusped at the top of each arch and with flowers adorning the bottom of these cusps and the spandrels. The original closing ring is surmounted with a crude metalwork pinnacle and is decorated with a rose at the centre.