St James' and St Paul's Church, Marton - Architecture - Interior

Interior

The timber piers are octagonal in shape. Two damaged stone effigies of 14th-century knights are in the belfry; the heads rest on the Davenport crest, suggesting the figures might depict the church's founders, John and Vivian de Davenport. The pulpit carries a coat of arms and dates from 1620. There are three surviving bells, the oldest being inscribed 'God Save the Queen and Realme 1598'. Other features include an Elizabethan parish chest and an ancient handmade wooden ladder accessing the bell-ringing platform. The organ was built in 1894 by A. Worral. The ring consists of three bells which are dated 1598, 1663 and 1758. The parish registers begin in 1563.

Inside the church are traces of some early medieval paintings on the west wall, which were discovered under plaster in 1930. The triangular painting, which possibly represents the Last Judgement (a common subject of medieval church paintings), is divided into sections by the timbering. A haloed male figure with long yellow hair at the top right possibly represents Christ, and a haloed kneeling female figure opposite might represent the Virgin Mary. The bottom left panel contains figures with raised hands mainly looking towards the viewer; these possibly represent souls under judgement. Other figures carry items, perhaps instruments of the Passion. Also in the church is an 18th-century oil painting by Edward Penney of Moses and Aaron holding the Ten Commandments.