Church Of St Margaret

SOTTERLEY SOTTERLEY PARK TM 4585 7/47 Church of St. Margaret 1.9.53

GV I

Parish church. Medieval, restored 1900. Nave, chancel, west tower, south porch, north vestry and organ chamber. Flint rubble with remains of plasterwork to the north sides of the nave and chancel; scone dressings; plaintiled roofs. Early C14 unbuttressed tower in 2 stages of approximately equal height, the upper stage being inset and tapering; crenellated parapet. 2-light west window with cusped Y tracery; 2-light bell chamber openings with Y tracery. North nave with C12 coursed rubble; various C14 and C15 windows to nave, mostly restored; to the north there is a good unrestored 2-light C14 window with carved label stops. C15 porch; the nave door is also C15 and has panels with cusped heads and tracery above. 2-bay chancel, probably C14: 2- light windows with Y tracery; 5-light east window, probably of 1900. Interior. Late C19 scissor-braced rafter roof to nave; C19 boarded ceiling to chancel. The north east nave window is set within a large shafted recess, the eastern part of which is missing. In the south west nave is the niche of a banner stave locker. Trefoil-headed piscina in south sanctuary, the arch resting on corbels. C15 octagonal font, the bowl carved with the Signs of the Evangelists and angels with shields. C15 rood screen: the dado has 12 panels painted with the apostles (much restored); the upper part of the screen has been altered and the original vaulting removed. The choir stalls incorporate C15 traceried woodwork and poppyhead ends. In the north sanctuary is a very fine marble wall monument to Sir Thomas Playters (1638) by Edward Marshall, master mason to Charles II. There are 3 kneeling figures, Sir Thomas frontal and a little above him 2 wives who are in profile facing him; above are pediments with carcouches and below is a frieze showing their 22 children including a baby; the monument is framed by black marble columns. In the north chancel is the comb chest of William Playters (1512) and his wife: there is a brass inscription around 3 sides of the slab and on the front are 3 foiled panels with brass shields (one missing) and 2 brass effigies (one missing). Several good effigy brasses in chancel to members of the Playter family, notably Thomas Playter (1479) and wife. 4 hatchments in nave. Some fragments of C15 stained glass, notably the 2 intact figures in the west window.

Listing NGR: TM4592485285