St Margaret’s, Felbrigg
Open daily dawn to dusk (the same times as the parkland of the Felbrigg Hall Estate). Visitors can drive down the track to the church and park on the grass.St Margaret's Church is located in the parkland to the east of Felbrigg Hall and is accessible via a winding farm track. The village of Felbrigg once surrounded the church but, possibly due to a severe plague which befell the parish in 1549, the village was rebuilt a considerable distance away. The church houses one of the best brasses in England, depicting Sir Simon de Felbrigg (d.1442) and his wife Margaret. Sir Simon served as Standard Bearer to King Richard II and was the Queen's cousin, making him one of the most distinguished knights of the time. His coat of arms, a shackle and a lion, is visible in the spandrels of the west door. Sir Simon made alterations and additions to the church, including the embattled tower, the porches and the buttresses. The church is full of monuments. One commemorates the historian Robert Ketton-Cremer who lived at the Hall and wrote Felbrigg: Story of a House. In fact, the north and south chancel windows were blocked up to make room for more monuments! The 19th century monument to William Windham was unfortunately built into the early 15th century sedilia (the stone benches on the south side of the chancel). In the south wall of the tower is a rare feature: a recess known as a 'wafer oven.' Smoke escaped from the belfry windows. The 15th century roof retains its original timbers.
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