Church Of St Margaret

TL 2256 ABBOTSLEY HIGH STREET (South Side) 10/13 (18/1A) Church of 14.5.59 St. Margaret

GV II*

Mainly C14 parish church of west tower, nave and north and south aisles. The 1861 chancel, north vestry and north porch are by Butterfield. The C14 tomb recess in the south aisle is note- worthy. Late C14 or perhaps C15 west tower of pebblestone with some sandstone and Barnack. Embattled and of four stages on splayed plinth. Four stage set back buttressing with newel staircase in south west angle. There are beast gargoyles to the centre of the main cornice. Surmounting and at each corner of the parapet is a figure of a king, the two at the south east and south west corners are C16, and those at north east and north west are C19 or C20 restorations. They are said to represent Macbeth, Malcolm, Harold and William. C19 west doorway of Ketton stone with original label and stops of clunch. C15 west window of three lights with vertical tracery. Bell stage has in each wall, two cinquefoil openings in four centred head with label. Nave mainly of pebblestone with C19 and C20 steeply pitched plain tiled roof. Each side of late C14 clerestorey has five windows of two trefoil lights in square head. C14 south aisle with four C20 windows of Wheldon stone, each of two lights with flowing tracery and two centred arch. C14 south doorway of two chamfered orders. East window of south aisle has three cinquefoil lights in four centred head with mask stops. North aisle similar. Chancel and north vestry mainly pebblestone with tiled roof and Ketton surrounds to windows. Interior. North arcade of four bays. Two centred arches of two chamfered orders on columns, quatrefoil in section, with small rolls to the angles and moulded capitals and bases. South arcade also of four bays with two centred arches of two chamfered orders. Octagonal columns and capitals. The C19 or C20 nave roof rests on C15 corbels, some carved. The gable end of the original nave roof is visible in the east wall of the tower. There is a fine C14 tomb recess in the south, aisle of the church. Moulded and cinquefoiled ogee head, carved with tendrils and foliate ornament and flanked by buttresses surmounded by crocketed pinnacles carved with paterae. Above the ogee arch are two coats of arms of Tilly. C13 font. Tapering octagonal bowl of limestone on octagonal base. The roof of the north aisle retains some C15 moulded tie beams and in the east wall, two C15 brackets carved with angels. The C16 oak screen under the chancel arch was originally under the tower arch. Of three bays including central opening, traceried heads and closed lower panels. VCH (Hunts) Vol. II (p257). RCHM (Hunts) mon. (1). Pevsner: Buildings of England, p203.

Listing NGR: TL2277556538