St Mary's Church is a large isolated church whose spire can be seen far and wide. The spire and cupola were badly damaged by lightning in 1872 and replaced with a spire more typical of the region (notice the photo of the original spire in the church). The church predominantly dates to the early 14th century with beautiful Decorated window tracery. The stunning hammer-beam roof features bosses and canopied figures in the wall posts who are missing their faces. Recumbent figures look down from above. If the rood screen looks a bit strange, without its cornice, it is because the church escaped the heavy hand of Victorian restoration. Look closely and you will see animals carved in the spandrels. Unfortunately the twelve painted figures have been too extensively defaced to identify. Both aisles have parclose screens and the one to the north is particularly fine. In the churchyard is a white cross which commemorates Jem Mace, 'Champion of the World', although he is buried in Liverpool. Jem was born in Beeston in 1831 and went on to become a successful boxer.