St Margaret's Church, Abbotsley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Margaret's Church, Abbotsley
St Margaret's Church, Abbotsley, from the north
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OS grid reference	TL 227 565
Location	Abbotsley, Cambridgeshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Churches Conservation Trust
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	14 May 1959
Architect(s)	William Butterfield (1861 restoration)
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic, Gothic Revival
Specifications
Materials	Pebblestone with dressings in stone and clunch

St Margaret's Church is an old and beautiful Anglican church located in the village of Abbotsley, Cambridgeshire, England. It's a special building because it's listed as a Grade II* historic site, which means it's very important and protected. The church is looked after by a group called The Churches Conservation Trust. You can find it right in the middle of the village, just south of the B1046 road.

A Look at the Church's History

The first time a church was mentioned on this spot was around 1138. However, the oldest parts of the church we see today were built much later, between 1300 and 1310.

How the Church Grew Over Time

• Back then, the church had a main hall called a nave, a special area for the altar called a chancel, and a side section known as a south aisle.
• About 20 years later, another side section, a north aisle, was added.
• Towards the end of the 1300s, the tall tower was built. The nave was made longer, and a row of windows high up, called a clerestory, was added.
• In the early 1600s, a clock was put on the tower.
• The church had some repairs in 1854.
• More major work happened in 1861, led by an architect named William Butterfield. During this time, the chancel, a small room called the north vestry, and the north porch were all rebuilt.
• The tower was repaired again in 1884.
• Even though the church is now cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust, its chancel is still used for church services by the local community.

Exploring the Church's Design

St Margaret's Church is mostly built from pebblestone, with special stone and clunch (a type of soft limestone) used for details. Its roofs are made of stone and lead.

Outside the Church

The church has a main hall (nave) with high windows (clerestory), side sections (north and south aisles), a front entrance (north porch), a special area for the altar (chancel) with a small room next to it (north vestry), and a tall tower at the west end.

The West Tower

• The tower has four main levels or "stages."
• It sits on a strong base called a plinth and has four buttresses (supports) and a staircase on its southwest side.
• On the lowest level, there's a west door, and above it, a window with three sections.
• The third level has single windows on the north and west sides, and a round window with four leaf-like shapes on the south side.
• The top level has two-section windows on each side, where the bells are.
• The very top of the tower has a battlemented parapet (a wall with gaps like a castle), with gargoyles (carved stone figures) in the middle of each side.
• Instead of pointy tops (pinnacles) at the corners, there are statues of kings! People say these statues represent English kings Harold and William the Conqueror, and Scottish kings Macbeth and Malcolm III.

Other Outside Features

• The north aisle has a two-section window from the 1300s on its west wall, and two similar windows on its north wall.
• Also on the north wall, there's a doorway and a small carved space (a niche) with a pointed top.
• On the east wall of the north aisle, there's a three-section window from the 1400s and two shelves supported by carved angels.
• The high windows (clerestory) have five two-section, square-headed windows on each side of the church.
• The north wall of the chancel has a two-section window and a small door.
• The west wall of the vestry has a re-set 1400s niche with a fancy carved top (a crocketed canopy), and another shelf supported by angels.
• The chancel's east window has three sections, and its south wall has a two-section window.
• The east wall of the south aisle has a three-section window.
• The south wall has two two-section windows and a doorway with a 1500s stoup (a basin for holy water) to its east.
• The west wall of the south aisle has another two-section window.

Inside the Church

• Both sets of arches (called arcades) have four sections.
• The pillars (called piers) in the north arcade are made of four grouped columns. The pillars in the south arcade are eight-sided.
• In the south wall of the chancel, you'll find a piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels) and a sedilia (seats for the clergy).
• In the south wall of the south aisle, there's a beautifully carved tomb space from the 1300s. Above it are two coats of arms.
• The font (where baptisms happen) is from the 1200s. It has an eight-sided limestone bowl that gets narrower towards the bottom, sitting on an eight-sided base.
• Under the arch leading to the chancel, there's an oak screen from the 1500s with three sections.
• The church has a ring of five bells, with the oldest one dating back to 1575.

Churchyard Features

In the churchyard, there is a special table tomb from 1688. It's made of limestone, and its sides have carvings of symbols of death, reminding people that life is short. This tomb is also listed as a Grade II historic site.

See also

• The Churches Conservation Trust: St Margaret's Church, Abbotsley, Cambridgeshire