St Mary's Church, Amersham

St Mary’s Church stands in Old Amersham, Buckinghamshire, beside the River Misbourne. It is a Grade I listed building, meaning it is officially recognised as a structure of exceptional historic interest. The site has held Christian significance for centuries, with worship recorded since about 1140. The present church mostly dates from the 13th century, with later additions in the 14th and 15th centuries. The Drake family, patrons of the parish, have close ties to the church and are remembered in numerous memorials inside. The church is linked to important moments in English religious history. In the early 1500s, local Lollards known as the Amersham Martyrs were burned on a hill overlooking the town. A memorial to them was placed there in 1931. In 1553, John Knox delivered his final sermon in Amersham before fleeing into exile. The Drake family later restored the church in 1890, shaping its current external appearance. Inside, visitors find memorials to the Drake family and the church’s bells still rung from the tower. The churchyard holds the graves of Ruth Ellis, a convicted murderer, and Liam Payne, a former One Direction singer. Nearby is Amersham Museum, offering further insight into the town’s past. The church remains an active place of worship within the Diocese of Oxford.