St Mary the Virgin is a 13th-century Anglican parish church in Northolt, London Borough of Ealing. It is on a slope shared with Belvue Park, the site of a 15th-century manor house — both overlooked the old village of Northolt. It is one of London's smallest churches, its nave measuring by . The church was built around 1290 and was expanded over the centuries, with the chancel being added in 1521, the spired bell tower in the 16th century, and a gallery at the west end of the church in 1703. Twin buttresses were erected against the west wall around 1718 to alleviate concerns that the church could slip down the hill. The internal beams are original and the bells date from the 17th century. The church was constructed from a variety of materials; the nave incorporates clunch (a type of limestone), flint and ironstone, and the mouldings of the doors and windows are made from Reigate Stone.
The church has been important ecclesiastically. From the 13th century to 1873 its rector was the Bishop of London, delegating the benefice (living, role as priest) to a vicar during that time. In the late 20th century it became the first Anglican parish to appoint a female rector, Pamela Walker.
It is one of two churches in the parish; the second, dedicated to St Richard, is large and modern. The churches share the same most senior cleric (rector) who conducts morning Sunday service at St Mary's Church, assists with the Sunday School, and then another service at 5pm at St Richard's Church.
Building and contents
The small south porch was partly rebuilt in 1909, and a south vestry added in 1945. The nave dates substantially from the 14th century, but incorporates late-13th-century fragments. The chancel and nave roof were rebuilt in the early 16th century, and the square bell turret, which is weather-boarded and finished with a broach spire, dates from the same period. Buttresses, including the massive ones of brick at the west end, were added in the 18th century, and the church was among the majority "restored", i.e. considerably rebuilt in the 19th century. The octagonal stone font dates from the 14th century. The bowl is decorated with simple relief carving, and the wooden cover is dated 1624. There are four early 17th-century bells, the sanctus (tonic bell) cast in 1626. A wooden gallery of three bays, supported on Doric columns and said to have been constructed in 1703, is built across the west end of the nave. Other fittings include an 18th-century painting of the Adoration of the Magi on the north wall of the chancel, and a 17th-century carving of the Stuart arms, executed in painted wood, on the east wall of the nave. There are brasses with figures to Henry Rowdell (d. 1452) and Isaiah Bures (vicar 1596–1610). A 16th-century palimpsest brass commemorates the Gifford family. Wall tablets in the chancel and nave commemorate 18th and 19th century vicars and members of the Shadwell family.
The plate consists of a silver paten and cup dated 1702, and an electroplate dish of 1839. The registers record baptisms from 1560, marriages from 1575, and burials from 1583, transcribed to large databases.