St Margaret's Church, Hales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Margaret's Church, Hales |
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St Margaret's Church, Hales, from the north
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| OS grid reference | TM 384 962 |
| Location | Hales, Norfolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Margaret |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 5 September 1960 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Flint, brick and conglomerate, with some rendering, limestone dressings, thatched roofs |
St Margaret's Church is an old Anglican church in the village of Hales, Norfolk, England. It is no longer used for regular church services, which means it is a redundant church. This special building is protected as a Grade I listed building, which means it is very important historically. The Churches Conservation Trust takes care of it. You can find the church in open fields south of the village, near the A146 road.
Contents
History of St Margaret's Church
St Margaret's Church was built a very long time ago, in the 12th century. That's over 800 years ago! It has stayed almost the same since then. Only a few windows were added later, in the 13th and 14th centuries.
With its round tower, curved end (called an apse), and thatched roof, it's a great example of a Norman church. For a while, the church was managed by St Olaves Priory, Herringfleet. This continued until the 16th century, when many monasteries and priories were closed down during a period known as the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Exploring the Church's Design
Outside the Church
The church is built from different materials like flint, brick, and a mix of stones called conglomerate. Some parts are covered with a smooth finish called rendering. The decorative parts are made from limestone, and the roof is made of thatch.
The church has a main hall called a nave, a special area for the altar called a chancel with a rounded end (an apse), and a tower at the west end. The tower is round and might even be older than the rest of the church, possibly from the 11th century.
Tower and Doorways
The lower part of the tower has small, narrow windows called lancet windows. Higher up, there are single-light openings where the bells would have been. The top edge of the tower, called the parapet, has a cool pattern made from brick, flint, and limestone squares.
The main entrance on the south side has a special doorway. It has two layers of columns and an arch decorated with zigzags. The north doorway is even more fancy, with six layers in its arch and more detailed patterns.
Windows and Walls
On the south wall of the nave, there are two windows, each with two lights (sections) and Y-shaped stone patterns called tracery. Between them, you can see where an old round-headed window used to be, now blocked up.
Around the curved chancel, there are decorative arches that are just for show, called blind arcades. Some of these have small lancet windows cut into them. Between these arches are flat supports called pilaster buttresses. The east window has a pointed arch and two lights with Y-tracery. The north wall has a blocked round-headed window, a single-light window, and another two-light window with Y-tracery.
Inside the Church
The nave has a curved ceiling, like the inside of a barrel, which was added in the 1800s. The chancel has a simple, flat plaster vault ceiling. In the chancel, there are small carved spaces called niches on either side of the east window. There's also a small cupboard-like space called an aumbry in the north wall, used to store sacred items. The floor of the chancel has two old memorial slabs.
Font and Paintings
In the nave, you'll find an arch that once led to stairs for a rood screen, which was a decorated screen separating the nave from the chancel. At the back of the nave, there's a gallery. The arch leading into the tower is semicircular, and the tower itself has two blocked round-headed windows.
The font, where baptisms take place, is octagonal (eight-sided) and dates back to the 15th century. Around its base, you can see carvings of four lions. The bowl of the font is held up by carved supports called corbels, which look like angels. The sides of the bowl are decorated with Tudor roses and angels holding shields.
On the walls of the nave, you can still see parts of old wall paintings. One painting shows Saint James the Great holding a staff. Another piece shows Saint Christopher carrying the Christ child. Above the arch leading to the chancel, there are paintings of two angels. A painted band called a frieze runs around the upper part of the chancel wall.
See also
