Parish Church Of St Margaret

The Parish Church of St Margaret, located in Ifield, is a Grade I listed building with origins dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries, with some elements from the 19th century. The church features a chancel, a nave with north and south aisles consisting of three bays, a timber north porch, and a west tower. The nave and chancel are from the 13th century, while the arcades and aisles were added in the early 14th century. The tower was constructed in 1884. The church's walls are made of Tunbridge Wells and Colgate sandstones, which are now covered with modern rough-cast cement. The roofs of the chancel and nave are tiled, and the tower has a shingled spire. The nave roof, dating from the 14th century, has a steep pitch with trussed rafters, tie-beams, and tall king posts. Inside, there is a late 12th century Sussex marble font and a screen at the west end of the north aisle made from timber sourced from the County Oak, which was felled in 1844. The interior also houses two early 14th century stone effigies of a knight and lady, believed to be Sir John de Ifelde and his wife, located under the easternmost arches of the nave arcades. A brass tablet on the south wall of the chancel commemorates the brothers Makersyth, who died in 1592 and 1599, along with additional tablets for the Seyliard, Spencers, and Lemins families. The churchyard contains notable 18th century chest tombs, and it is the burial site of Mark Lemon, the first editor of 'Punch' from 1841 to 1870.