St Margaret's Church, Lowestoft facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Margaret's Church |
|
|---|---|
St Margaret's Church, Lowestoft (July 2008)
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Location | Lowestoft, Suffolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed building |
| Designated | 13 December 1949 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Lowestoft St Margaret |
| Deanery | Lothingland |
| Archdeaconry | Norfolk |
| Diocese | Norwich |
| Province | Canterbury |
St. Margaret's Church is a very old church in Lowestoft, a town in the English county of Suffolk. It is named after Saint Margaret of Antioch. This church is famous for its tall, glowing blue spire, which you can see from all over the town.
The church sits on top of a hill on the north-western side of Lowestoft's town centre. Because it's so high up, sailors used to use it as a guide to find their way. The church is part of the Diocese of Norwich, which covers parts of Suffolk.
Contents
History of St. Margaret's Church
When Was the Church Built?
St. Margaret's Church is a medieval building, meaning it's very old, from the Middle Ages. Its tower was built in the early 1300s. The church is so important that it's listed as a Grade I listed building. This means it's a building of special historical interest.
The church was started by a group of monks from the Priory of St. Bartholomew in London. They were given the land in Lowestoft in 1230 by King Henry I. Inside the church, there's a wooden list showing all the priests who have served there since 1308.
How the Church Changed Over Time
The church is built from flint, a type of stone. It was made much bigger in the 1400s. The main parts of the church, like the aisles and the nave (the central area), come from this time.
Later, during the Victorian era (the late 1800s), the church was updated. The tall, pointed spire you see today was rebuilt in 1954. It replaced an older wooden spire from 1483.
The church has some special stained-glass windows. One window, installed in 1819, was made by an artist named Robert Allen. It's the only known glasswork by him. The large east window's glass is from 1891. The church also has glass from another church, St. Peter's, which was taken down in 1975.
Inside St. Margaret's Church
Important Features and Memorials
Inside the church, you'll find an octagonal font (a basin for baptisms) from the 1400s. There's also a rare brass lectern (a stand for reading) from around 1500. It's special because it's from before the Reformation, a big change in the church.
The church also has something called a banner stave locker. This is a unique feature, believed to be found only in this part of Suffolk. It was used to store poles for church banners.
There are several memorials inside the church. On the north wall, there's a memorial for fishermen from Lowestoft who died at sea between 1896 and 1923. After that time, the memorial was moved to another building called The Lowestoft Fisherman's and Sailor's Bethel. There's also a special war memorial chapel. It has a wooden wall with the names of 711 men from Lowestoft who died in the First World War.
Churchyard and War Graves
The churchyard is the area around the church where people are buried. It contains war graves for two service members from World War I and seventeen from World War II. These graves honor those who died serving their country.
