Church Of Saint Maragret

Church of St. Margaret

A parish church of ironstone with ashlar dressings and some chalk blocks as common wall stones, with slate roofs. The building dates from the 13th century through to the 18th century, with significant restoration work carried out in 1884–5 by H. M. Townsend of Peterborough, and alterations in 1864. It comprises a west tower, nave, and chancel.

The West Tower

The tower is built of ironstone with a chamfered limestone plinth. The belfry stage contains a single small pair of lights. Above this is an early 17th-century cyma moulded cornice with battlements. On the west side is a 3-light 17th-century window with chamfered mullions and a cyma moulded lintel.

The Nave

The north nave wall is of ironstone with some possibly earlier chalk blocks at the west end. At the west end is a stepped angle buttress and a much weathered gargoyle. Two 2-light 17th-century windows with chamfered mullions and cyma moulded lintels light this wall. To the east is a blocked 13th-century arch; only the west reveal survives, which is chamfered and possibly from a crossing, as it is precisely balanced by a similar arch on the south side. Within the blocking of this arch is a 15th-century 3-light cusped trefoil ogee-headed window with a moulded frame and flat dripmould. In the south wall of the nave is a tomb niche, rebuilt in the 19th century. The south door is 19th-century work in the form of a 13th-century opening with human head label stops; the label stop to the east is unmistakeably Queen Victoria. To the west of the door is a single 19th-century light. A stepped angle buttress stands at the end of the south wall.

The Chancel

The chancel is later than the nave, evident from the plinth which runs round all three walls. The east chancel wall has stepped angle buttresses and a blocked early 18th-century semicircular-headed window with emphasised key and impost blocks. The blocking is dated "EW (Weston) 1864" on a common wall stone. The upper part of the wall to the gable has been rebuilt in brick. The south chancel wall has a similar blocked crossing opening as on the north. To the east is a 19th-century 3-light window in 15th-century style; to the west is another similar window.

Interior

Inside, a late 13th-century dying double chamfered tower arch without capitals survives. A curious 19th-century rear arch gives the slight impression of a vaulted space. A wide 13th-century chancel arch was replaced in the 18th century by a basket arch with moulded surround and keyblock. The jambs of this arch are engaged octagons with similarly shaped capitals and abaci. The width of this arch reinforces the likelihood of a crossing having at least been planned. To the east, the jambs of the original arch can still be seen, particularly on the north.

Fittings

Most fittings are 19th-century. A cusped trefoil-headed piscina niche survives, reused as a piscina arch on the south side of the sanctuary. The font is a plain 12th-century cylindrical tub resting on a moulded annular base which appears contemporary. Traces of paint appear on the west side.

A fine small armorial panel of 18th-century painted glass in the westernmost window of the south wall commemorates Sir Isaac Wolff, Bart., dated 1767.

Archaeological Fragments

A fragment of a late 13th-century priest's tombstone with low relief cross fleury is built into the north wall of the chancel. In both the north and south walls are several sections of a 14th-century frieze of recessed quatrefoils containing shields, probably from the sides of a tomb chest.

Monuments

On the south side of the nave is a recumbent effigy of a knight of the late 13th century. It is a fine carving with high relief; angels support his pillow and the details of the chain armour, breastplate and jambs are very clear. A surcoat bears a shield with a chevron between two birds. The feet rest on a lion, beside which is a small curled dog.

In the chancel are two fine wreathed marble urns in niches on classical bases with egg and dart moulding, erected for two sons of the Weston family, both of whom died in the service of the East India Company in 1762 and 1767 respectively.

Also in the chancel is a rectangular monument to Sir Edward Rossiter, Commonwealth General, erected in 1758 by Edward Weston. Weston is himself commemorated by a large marble wall plaque in the form of an obelisk on the north wall of the chancel, dated 1770. He was a Member of the Privy Council of Ireland.