The church of St Mary the Virgin in East Brent dates from c1300, but it probably replaced an earlier church. The tower and spire were added c1400. John Selwood, who was Abbot of Glastonbury 1456-1493, was also vicar of East Brent 1467-1493. He brought lots of carved medieval bench ends with him from Glastonbury Abbey.
The carvings on the bench ends include an amphisbaena (double-headed dragon) in the shape of John Selwood's initials (Ioannes Selwood); some primitive heads; the winged ox of St Luke; a pelican feeding her young with her own blood; the Annunciation; a lamb and the eagle of St John.
The font is a copy of the ancient font at Rowberrow, which is reputed to have originally come from East Brent. The lectern dates from the 15th century and is a wooden sculpture of an eagle. The Jacobean pulpit was made in 1634 and is made of carved oak. The stained glass window above the altar in the chancel was given in memory of Sarah Reed, the daughter of the Lord of the Manor of East Brent, who died in 1857.
The wooden west gallery was originally part of the rood screen which spanned the chancel arch. It was converted into a gallery in 1824. It wasn't wide enough, so the village carpenter inserted a middle section. It is supported on 4 carved elm pillars.
The plaster ceiling of the nave dates from 1637 and features an unusual design - blackberry thorns with ribs that connect diamond shaped panels, which are in turn connected by three pendants.
Reverend George Anthony Denison was Vicar of East Brent for 51 years 1845-1896. After an epidemic of diphtheria in the parish, he provided the village with its first supply of clean drinking water by damming the stream on Brent Knoll. Together with churchwarden John Higgs he also founded the East Brent Harvest Home in 1857. It is still celebrated every year in late August. A memorial to him is located on the wall of the north aisle.
Three sculptures are located on the west wall of the tower representing the Virgin & Child, the Trinity and Christ crowning the Blessed Virgin. There is a scratch or mass dial on one of the buttresses.
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