St Margaret's Church, Ifield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Margaret, Ifield |
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The church from the east-southeast
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 St Margaret, Ifield
Location in Crawley
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| 51°7′26″N 0°13′10″W / 51.12389°N 0.21944°W | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | http://www.ifieldparish.org |
| History | |
| Dedication | Margaret of Antioch |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Ifield, St Margaret |
| Deanery | East Grinstead |
| Archdeaconry | Horsham |
| Diocese | Chichester |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Margaret's Church is an Anglican church located in Ifield, a part of Crawley, a town in West Sussex, England. It has been the main church for the village of Ifield for a very long time. Ifield grew into one of the 13 neighbourhoods of the New Town of Crawley. Today, St Margaret's Church also serves several other nearby areas.
The church building you see now includes parts from a 13th-century church. This older church might have replaced an even earlier wooden building. In the 14th century, stone statues of a knight and his wife were added. These statues are still considered amazing examples of old sculptures. The church has been changed and updated many times over the years. A big renovation in the late 1800s, led by architect Somers Clarke, made the main part of the church longer and added a new tower. Because of its important history and design, English Heritage has given the church a special Grade I listing.
The churchyard has many old graves and monuments. This includes the grave of writer Mark Lemon. There is also a fancy stone tomb, which has its own special Grade II listing. Inside the church, you can find more memorials on the walls. One of the oldest things inside is a font from the 12th century, which has unique carvings.
Contents
History of St Margaret's Church
The old area of Ifield was a large rural parish, covering about 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) in northern Sussex. It reached up to the border with Surrey. By the mid-13th century, it was connected to the priory in nearby Rusper. The church was built in the middle of the small village of Ifield. This village was mentioned in the Domesday Book back in 1086. People believe the current stone church stands where an even older wooden church once was. That first church might have been built around the 10th or 11th century. The first record of a vicar at the church is from 1247. Since then, there have been 53 vicars.
Early Church Building (13th-14th Century)
By the 13th century, the church had a nave (the main part) and a chancel (the area around the altar) made of stone. The chancel from that time is still part of the building today. A font from the 12th century is also still used. This font was likely moved from the very first church building. Around 1300, an arch was built to connect the nave and the chancel. The church was officially named after Saint Margaret later, with the first record of this name appearing in 1489.
In the 14th century, side sections called aisles were added to the nave. First, an aisle was built on the north side, and then one on the south side. This change doubled the number of people who could sit in the church. More windows were also put into the nave.
Changes Over the Centuries
About a century later, a wooden porch was built on the north side of the church. The arch between the nave and chancel was made wider. A rood screen was also put in. Rood screens were common in churches during the medieval period. Churches at that time also had many wall decorations and paintings.
However, by the 17th century, people started to prefer plain, whitewashed walls. The Parliament even made rules about these changes in the 1640s. The vicar of Ifield, Reverend Robert Goddin, was a strong Protestant. He did not like Catholic-style decorations or ceremonies in churches. So, he made sure the rood screen and all other decorations were removed from St Margaret's.
The next big changes happened in 1760. A gallery was built for the choir. The old pews were replaced with large box-pews. These pews came from St Margaret's Church, Westminster in London. More repairs took place in 1785. In 1847, the roof was improved, and a vestry (a room for clergy) was built. Wood from a famous old tree, the "County Oak," was used for this. This tree marked the old border between Sussex and Surrey. A barrel organ was added in 1850.
Between 1883 and 1884, architects Somers Clarke and J. T. Micklethwaite made big changes. They built a tall, strong tower at the west end of the church. This tower replaced a smaller one that had been over the porch. They also made the nave longer and removed a gallery at the west end.
The outside walls of the church were originally made of rough stone. However, this has been covered over with modern cement. You approach the church from the east through a lychgate. This gate is at the end of Ifield Street, which is the old village street.
Architecture and Design
St Margaret's Church has a chancel, a wide nave with a narrow clerestory (upper windows) above it. It also has narrow, three-bay aisles on both the north and south sides. There is a tall tower with a spire at the west end and a porch on the north side. The nave, chancel, and the arch connecting them are all from the 13th century.
Aisles and Windows
The aisles and their arches are mostly unchanged from when they were built in the 14th century. They show different designs typical of that time. Many of the windows are also from the 14th century, while others are a century newer. Most windows have trefoil-headed designs, which look like a three-leaf clover. Some larger windows are in the Perpendicular Gothic style. Several other windows have stained glass, including some modern designs from the 20th century. The roof of the nave is tall and steeply sloped. It has strong wooden beams and is also from the medieval period.
The Tower and Font
The tower of the church is quite unique. It has three tall, narrow windows called lancet windows on the lower part. Above these, there is a much smaller lancet window. These three main lancet windows show pictures of the Resurrection, Crucifixion, and Ascension of Jesus Christ.
The baptismal font is the oldest item in the church, dating back to the late 12th century. It is made of local marble. The font has a beautifully carved base with four columns. These columns have delicate leaf-like tops and rounded decorations. This kind of detailed carving was unusual for a Norman-era font. Its shape is typical though: a deep square bowl supported by a wide central column and four thinner shafts.
Memorials and Churchyard
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At the east end of the nave, there are two large stone statues from the 14th century. These effigies survived all the changes to the church over hundreds of years. They are now seen as very high-quality examples of their kind. They are life-sized statues of a knight in full armour and a woman. Both are lying on their backs as if in prayer. Most people believe they represent John de Ifelde (Sir John of Ifield) and his wife, Lady Margaret. Their heads rest on angels, and their feet rest on lions. These carved statues are rare in Sussex.
Notable Graves
Mark Lemon, who was the first editor of the famous satirical magazine Punch, lived in the area in the mid-19th century. He was buried at St Margaret's in 1870.
A large stone tomb at the west end of the churchyard has a special Grade II listing from English Heritage. It dates from around 1800 and holds the remains of George and Mary Hutchinson. The tomb is made of pale stone and has inscriptions on its sides. It is topped with a carved urn decorated with small figures called putti.
The churchyard also has several other large tombs from the 18th century. Some of these are good examples of artificial Coade stone, which was popular back then. Inside the church, there are many brass and stone memorial tablets from the 16th century onwards. George Hutchinson also has a large memorial on the wall inside the chancel. The churchyard also contains ten Commonwealth war graves for British service members. Seven are from World War I and three from World War II.
St Margaret's Parish Today
St Margaret's Church was given a Grade I listing by English Heritage on February 23, 1983. This means it is considered to be of "exceptional interest" and important to the whole country. It is one of only three Grade I buildings in the Borough of Crawley.
The parish of Ifield today covers the western part of Crawley and the countryside around it. The A23 and A2220 roads form its eastern and southern borders. The northern border is close to the county line with Surrey and the southern edge of Gatwick Airport.
St Margaret's is the main church for the Ifield parish. This parish has four churches in total, one in each of the neighbourhoods it serves. A team rector, who is in charge of all four churches, is based at St Margaret's. The area of Bewbush is served by St Mary Magdalene's Church. St Alban's Church, a brick building with a tall bell tower, is in Gossops Green. Langley Green is served by St Leonard's Church. All of these other churches were built after World War II, when Crawley was designed as a new town.
See also
- List of places of worship in Crawley
- Listed buildings in Crawley
