Church Of St Margaret

Church of St Margaret

Parish church comprising a late 11th-century west tower, nave and chancel. The nave and chancel were remodelled in the early 14th century when a south aisle and clerestory were added. The tower was partly rebuilt in 1808, underwent major restoration in 1875, and experienced numerous alterations throughout the 19th century. The building is constructed of flint with ashlar dressings and some brick. The nave and aisle roofs are of lead, while the chancel roof is of slate.

The tower is a round undivided structure with a crenellated parapet. Below the parapet is one triangular-headed lancet and altered 15th-century 2-light belfry windows. At the west ends of the 11th-century nave, original quoins remain.

The south aisle has a 3-light 19th-century west window and is supported by diagonal corner buttresses and side buttresses to the flank. The aisle was restored in 1859 when its windows were replaced. It is entered via a gabled south porch through a hollow chamfered arch, with a hollow and roll moulded inner doorway. Partly blocked pointed side lancets are visible. The aisle contains 3 two-light cusped windows with reticulation units over trefoil lights, one Y-tracery 2-light window to the west of these, and a 3-light 19th-century east window.

The south clerestory is faced with knapped flint and brick and contains 6 two-light Y-tracery windows with brick relieving arches, altered in the 15th century and restored in the 19th century.

The chancel is supported by diagonal eastern buttresses and one side buttress to the north and south. It has one 3-light and one 2-light 19th-century reticulated window on the south side, and a 3-light east window of 1860 with Geometrical forms. On the north side is one 2-light 19th-century window. Two renewed 2-light square-headed Perpendicular windows are on the north nave, alongside 3 splayed circular 11th-century windows below the level of the present clerestory. The easternmost of these remains only as a trace in masonry and is cut by a later Perpendicular insertion. A 19th-century gabled north vestry is positioned over a doorway.

The interior features a 5-bay octagonal south arcade with moulded bases and polygonal capitals supporting double chamfered arches. A double chamfered early 14th-century tower arch rests on semi-circular responds. A double chamfered 19th-century chancel arch is supported on polygonal responds. Squared interior tower stairs to the south-east of the tower are entered through a 4-centred doorway with hood mould on labels.

The 15th-century nave roof comprises moulded principals dropping on arched braces to moulded wall posts, with further arched braces rising to the wall plate. There is one tier of moulded butt purlins and a ridge piece, with boarded ashlaring. The 18th-century south aisle roof has principals on arched braces and wall posts with one tier of taper-tenoned butt purlins. Four 18th-century box pews are located in the aisle. Two 11th-century north circular windows are splayed into the interior. Thirty-one mutilated late 15th-century poppyhead bench ends are present.

The chancel contains a 13th-century sedilia consisting of 2 pointed arches with dog tooth decoration supported by columns on waterholding bases with capitals. A simple trefoiled piscina nearby utilises ogee forms. The chancel roof is 19th-century arched braced. A 14th-century octagonal font features a traceried stem and panelled bowl, each panel decorated with encircled quatrefoils.

Two wall monuments are present in the chancel. One commemorates John Norris of 1734 and comprises Corinthian pilasters supporting a pediment framing an inscription panel, with an apron below bearing a coat of arms. The other monument to Elizabeth Norris of 1769 has an asymmetrical design with 2 block entablatures standing on consoles and terminating in a swept apron. One entablature is surmounted by a cherub holding a diagonally placed oval inscription panel, while the other supports 4 books representing Shakespeare, Sterne, Sherlock and the Bible. At the top is half of a segmental pediment on which stands an urn.