St Margaret's Church The National Trust, Felbrigg Hall Estate Felbrigg Norfolk

This church has been in continuous use for about 800 years, the first rector listed was in 1286 and there are tomb covers dating from the same time. The building was extensively rebuilt and extended by Sir Simon de Felbrigg during the late 14th  and early 15th centuries, this included the tower and the North and South porches, together with the fine roof with carved bosses. He died in 1442 and is buried in Norwich in what is now St Andrew’s Hall and the estate was then sold to John Wymondham, who’s descendants were the Windhams, in 1459.  The Chancel, bright with five large windows and the font was extent before Sir Simon’s modifications with various monuments to earlier de Felbriggs and a 14th century sidelia and piscina, spoilt by a 19th century monument to the statesman William Windham,(1750-1810) made by Nollekens. There are a number of other monuments to the Windham family and including one by Grinling Gibbons for another William Windham who died in 1689. The side windows in the Chancel were blocked up in the 16th and 17th century to provide room to display the monuments while the East window was opened out to its present size in 1874.  The Nave with its 18th century box pews, escaped the pew changes beloved by the Victorians, are still intact. A small crypt holding the bodies of a number of the Windham family from the end of the 17th century is underneath the nave with a coffin chute in the South wall. It was opened to the public through the entrance in a pew during the July Flower Festivals, but has had to be closed for the moment due to Health & Safety concerns.   The tower holds a single bell made in 1707 and an unusual wafer oven and chimney beside the tower stairs. The West door under the tower has been closed off.