Church Of St Margaret

Church of St Margaret

A parish church at Bilsthorpe, built and rebuilt over several centuries from the 13th to 20th centuries, with major restoration work undertaken in 1873 by T. C. Hine. The building is constructed of squared dressed stone and snecked stone with ashlar dressings, and is roofed in plain tile and 20th-century slab tile. It comprises a west tower, nave, chancel, vestry, south transept, and south porch.

The west tower dates to the 14th century with 17th-century additions (1663). It is two storeys high with a chamfered plinth, string course, and crenellated parapet topped by two obelisk pinnacles to the west. Two diagonal buttresses with three setoffs are present. The first stage has a late 14th-century cusped triple lancet to the west with a coved four-centred arched reveal, hood mould and stops, with the remains of a clock above. The second stage has four double round-headed openings dating to 1663, and on the south side is a tablet inscribed with "...Chwardens 1663".

The chancel, dating to the 15th and 18th centuries and restored, comprises two unequal bays. To the north it has an 18th-century buttress to the east and a 15th-century buttress to the south, both with setoffs. A central 15th-century cusped double lancet with four-centred arched head and hood mould is present, while a blocked 14th-century door with hood mould is on the west. To the south there is a buttress with a single setoff.

The vestry has a chamfered plinth and coved eaves with two coped gables. East and west sides each have a chamfered single lancet with hood mould and mask stops. The north side has a shouldered 19th-century door.

The chancel proper dates to the late 14th and 16th centuries and comprises two bays. It has a plinth to the east and the remains of a cross on the west gable. The north side has a late 14th-century double cusped ogee lancet with chamfered square-headed reveal to the west. The east end has a 19th-century Perpendicular-style triple lancet with panel tracery and four-centred arched reveal with hood mould. The south side shows two phases of building, with an off-centre buttress of three setoffs. To the east is a late 14th-century double cusped ogee lancet with square-headed reveal, partly restored. To the west is a larger 16th-century double ogee lancet with Decorated tracery, square-headed reveal and hood mould.

The south transept was added in 1873 as a single bay with moulded and chamfered plinth and parapet, single spouts to east and west, and a cross on the south gable. To the south is a Perpendicular-style cusped triple lancet with four-centred arched reveal and hood mould.

The south porch dates to the 15th century and has been restored. It has a chamfered plinth and coped gable with kneelers and the remains of a cross. A chamfered 19th-century doorway with moulded head and hood mould with stops is present, together with a 19th-century common rafter roof. The south doorway is 14th-century work with coved and moulded detail, hood mould with square stops and rosettes.

The aisleless nave has an elliptical moulded arch to the south with hood mould, and to the north a stained-glass window dating to 1938. The roof is a restored 15th-century tie-beam roof with chamfered timbers and corbels.

The tower arch is 19th-century work in 14th-century style, with double chamfering, rebating and moulded square imposts. It contains a three-bay 20th-century oak screen with traceried top and cresting with a cross. The tower chamber has a west window with stained glass by Kempe dating to 1880.

The south transept, known as the Savile chapel, has a south window with heraldic stained glass and a low-pitched principal rafter roof with moulded timbers and curved braces carried on timber angel corbels.

The chancel arch is restored 13th-century work in style, with double chamfering and rebating, and half-round responds with moulded and foliate capitals. The north side has 19th-century four-centred arched openings with shafts and hood mould. The east end has an elaborate 19th-century carved and painted timber reredos with traceried panels and cresting. The east window contains stained glass dating to 1878. The south side has a 15th-century pillar piscina and a 13th-century chamfered piscina to the east. The chancel roof is 19th-century work with a king post, moulded tie beams, cusped struts, shafts and traceried spandrels. The vestry has a 19th-century lean-to roof.

The church contains a 12th-century cylindrical font with an older base and plain cover. The pulpit is partly 17th-century, octagonal oak with linenfold panels and rosettes. A timber lectern dates to around 1946. 19th-century roll-top oak benches and 20th-century chairs are present, together with three 19th-century and one 20th-century chamfered choir stalls.

Memorials include a marble and slate wall tablet of 1649 with a square tablet in moulded surround with shaped apron and two flanking Corinthian columns on incised brackets, carrying a forward-breaking entablature with a semi-circular pediment carrying three heads, two of which are winged. The tympanum contains a book and wreath. This is to the memory of William Chappell, Bishop of Cork and Ross. A marble tablet dates to 1834; marble and slate tablets to 1839; a Charity Board to 1849 and 1857; and a square slate tablet with oval marble cartouche to 1859. A large marble wall monument of 1887 has an inscribed brass and moulded ring, formerly containing a wreath, flanked by ringed shafts carrying an entablature with moulded crest and recess containing an owl. The remains of an inscribed foliated cross slab are in a cabinet. A roll of honour, list of rectors, war memorial brasses of 1920 and 1945, and a 20th-century brass are also present.