Chesterton is now a northern suburb of Cambridge, but it still feels like a village, at least in St Andrew's expansive churchyard. There has been a church here since at least the beginning of the 13 th century. That church was rebuilt in a grand cruciform style in about 1250, from which the present chancel arch survives. It was then rebuilt again in 1330, when the nave, aisles and tower were rebuilt in handsome Decorated style, followed by the chancel, north porch and clerestory in the 15 th century. The building is therefore a bit of a palimpsest, with no one style predominating. My favourite element on the exterior, though, is the Decorated tower: it is a nice solid structure, with cross-buttresses and a fine (albeit restored) spire.
Inside, the church is bigger than it looks on the outside, with a nave of seven substantial bays. It's been quite substantially restored: the chancel was restored in its entirely in the 19 th century, as were the late 15 th century roofs in the nave and aisles. It is pleasant, but would be comparatively unremarkable if it weren't for the amazing 15 th century Doom painting which fills the wall above the chancel arch, and spills over into the easternmost bays of the nave. It is, inevitably, rather battered and faded, and it has lost various key elements (including Christ, who presumably once presided over the whole scene). Still, it is pretty rare for even this much to survive, and some elements are still quite clear (e.g. the characterful demons carrying away the damned towards the mouth of Hell, which presumably sat somewhere on the south wall). It is, I think, the best surviving wallpainting in the county, even if my personal favourites are elsewhere, at Duxford St John and Willingham.
St Andrews was open when we visited