St Mary's Church, Hartwell

St Mary’s Church stands as a ruined Anglican church in the village of Hartwell, Buckinghamshire. It sits within the grounds of Hartwell House, just north of the A418 road. The church was built between 1753 and 1755 by Henry Keene for Sir William Lee. It was designed in the early Gothic Revival style to enhance the landscape of Hartwell House. The building was granted Grade II* listed status in December 1967 for its exceptional interest. It was declared redundant in 1973 and placed in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust two years later. The church’s architecture reflects its Gothic Revival origins. Constructed from ashlar stone, it has an octagonal plan with two towers, one at each end. The main windows feature three lights and Y-tracery, while the parapet is battlemented with crocketted pinnacles and a moulded cornice. Below the parapet runs a string course, and between it and the parapet are quatrefoil windows. Rose windows appear on the north and south sides, as well as on the outer sides of the towers. The towers themselves end in openwork parapets topped with more crocketted pinnacles. Visitors can view the church’s exterior from the grounds of Hartwell House. The interior remains inaccessible, but the ruins still reveal the craftsmanship of its design. The restored roof, rebuilt in 2000 using Westmorland slate, preserves the original appearance. The stonework repairs from the same restoration work have stabilised the structure. The church’s setting, surrounded by Hartwell House’s grounds, adds to its quiet, reflective atmosphere.