The parish church at Dodford is grade I listed and is dedicated to St.Mary the Virgin. The parishes were defined and tithes set in AD 670. The Normans found that a church was already established here and granted the estate to William de Keynes. The church was rebuilt by Ralph de Keynes, William's son, in 1100, and the tower and north aisle/chapel were added by William de Keynes in 1221. The church was again reconstructed in 1350 by Sir John de Keynes, son of Sir William de Keynes.
St Mary's has a nave with a north aisle and a clerestory on the north side only. The arcade, of four bays, is 14th century. The south wall of the nave has two plain 12th-century splayed windows, of which the west one is now blocked, and part of the plain arch of a doorway; on the exterior there is much herringbone masonry. The south porch is of two storeys. The chancel was rebuilt in the 19th century. The church contains an elaborately-carved 12th-century font and some notable stained glass windows, in the chancel, at the east end of the north aisle or chapel, and in the tower.
In the chapel are three stone effigies on tombs of notables of the village.
In the centre of the arcade on a plain chest tomb the earliest is believed to be Sir Robert de Keynes (Pevsner) who died c.1305. It is of purbeck marble and is a recumbent effigy of a knight with crossed legs wearing band mail - a rare type of armour.
Next, in front of an early C14th recess in the north wall is a tomb chest with mourners, and angels supporting a pillow on which her head rests, is believed to be Wentiliana, great grand-daughter of Hawise de Keynes, and grand-daughter of William de Keynes. She succeeded her father, John de Keynes, and did not marry, died c.1375. This stone effigy lies in front of a much earlier wooden one made from oak and believed to be of the aforementioned Hawise and dating from c.1280.
Most recent is an alabaster tomb chest with angels supporting arms on either side and at the west end, is Sir John Cressy who died on 3 March 1444. The effigy of Sir John, in full plate armour, wearing a Lancastrian SS collar with a trefoil pendant, is surrounded by the following inscription:
Hic jacet Johannes Cressy miles dominus istius ville quondam capitaneus de Lysieux Orbet' et Ponleve[.]ue in Normandia ac consiliarius domini H. Regis in Fran' [eastern side not visible] qui obiit aput Tour in Lorema iii o die marcii anno domini mo cccc o xliiii cuius anime propicietur deus Amen.
Rough translation; Here lies John Cressy, a soldier of the Lord of this town, who was a captain of Lisieux, Orbec and Pont-l-Evêque, and a councillor of the king in Normandy.......
.......who died in Tour (Toul) in Lorraine 3rd day of March AD 1444, for whose soul pray to the Lord. Amen.
Whilst effigies of knights who served in the fifteenth-century phase of the war are relatively numerous, the recording of specific service in an inscription is less common. For a full history of Sir John Cressy see: Sir John Cressy