Parish Church Of St Margaret

The parish church of St Margaret stands in Old Catton, dating back to the 12th century and featuring later additions. Constructed primarily of flint with stone or brick quoins, the church has lead and slate roofs. The building incorporates a tower, north transeptal aisles, a south porch, a south aisle, a north chapel to the east, and a chancel.

The two-stage round tower is built of brick and knapped flint, with a single light window to the west, a sound hole, and two-light belfry openings with straight heads, hood moulds, and brick tracery. The top of the tower is octagonal, with brick dressings, a string course, and a battlemented top. The north transeptal aisles were added around 1852, with two and three-light Perpendicular style windows. The west porch, also of Perpendicular style, dates from around the same period, and features a stepped gable, two windows to the parvis, and a central cusped niche with a hood mould. The south aisle, dating to around 1850, comprises two and a half bays with three-light Perpendicular windows, and a circular window in the east wall.

The nave has four bays, with two-light clerestory windows containing four-centred arches and hood moulds. The chancel was rebuilt around 1850, and is pebble-dashed, with two bays and three-light Perpendicular style windows flanking a Norman-style door. A three-light Perpendicular style window is located to the east, with a larger trefoil window above. The north chapel features a gabled north window flanked by swept buttresses with turret finials, and a two-light Decorated style east window.

The interior largely dates to the 19th century. A west gallery from 1773 remains. The north transeptal arcade is in Decorated style. A mid-15th-century four-bay north arcade has piers with engaged shafts, both to the north and south. The church has a mid-15th-century arch-braced roof. The 15th-century chancel arch features recessed shafts with moulded bases and battlemented caps. A vaulted Perpendicular niche is located to the south of the chancel arch. A mid-14th-century arch leads to the north chapel. The chancel roof is also arch braced, with a battlemented moulded wall plate. A rood screen dado is present. The church contains a fine pulpit dated 1537, featuring linen-fold panels separated by turned balusters. Various 18th and 19th-century monuments are also present, including one to Jeremiah Ives, who died in 1820, designed by Sir Richard Westmacott. A standing monument is situated next to an obelisk; it is flanked by weeping putti.