The manor of Norwood was for more than eight centuries in the parish of Hayes. In 1859, the large chapel of St Mary became a church and was upgraded to have a surrounding parish.

St Mary’s Church is the oldest building in the area. Its core dates from the 12th and 13th centuries, later encased by subsequent additions. The exterior was refaced in 1864 using black flint and polychrome bricks. A distinctive 15th-century wooden porch graces the façade. Historical drawings show a boarded west bell turret, replaced in 1896 by the current tower.

The church occupies a slightly elevated plot surrounded by a small graveyard, which enhances its setting. Among the notable monuments is the family grave of ’John Robins of Regent Street’, designed by John Soane, who also created Norwood Hall for Robins.




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