St Margaret's Church, Leicester Explained

St Margaret's Church, Leicester
Denomination:Church of England
Previous Denomination:Catholic Church
Churchmanship:Broad church
Parish:The Abbey
Archdeaconry:Leicester
Diocese:Leicester
Province:Canterbury
Bishop:Rt. Rev. Martyn Snow
Vicar:Interregnum
Website:https://www.stmargaretsleicester.com/
Coordinates:52.6403°N -1.1363°W

St Margaret's Church is an ancient Anglican parish church situated on St Margaret's Way in Leicester, England. It is a Grade I listed building.

History

Parts of the transept date from c. 1200, and parts of the aisles from the late 13th century. Most of the church was rebuilt in Perpendicular style c. 1444, under William Alnwick, the Bishop of Lincoln. The west tower, which is 108feet high, was built at that time.[1] It contains a ring of 14 bells[2] including a flat sixth.[3] There was a Victorian restoration by George Gilbert Scott in 1860,[1] and another in 1881 by George Edmund Street.

The church contains stained glass by Thomas Willement dating from the 1840s, and William Wailes of 1864.

Tombs

The alabaster effigy of John Penny dates from 1520, although his original tomb was replaced in 1846.[4] He was the abbot of Leicester Abbey from 1496 to 1509,[5] and subsequently Bishop of Carlisle.[4] The churchyard contains the 1765 tomb of Andrew Rollo, 5th Lord Rollo. The Doric, Grade II* listed structure is faced with slate relief sculptures.

Organ

The organ dates from 1773 but is now much enlarged. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.[6]

Organists

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The ancient borough: St. Margaret's, A History of the County of Leicester: volume 4: The City of Leicester (1958) . British History Online . Institute of Historical Research and the History of Parliament Trust . 3 April 2012.
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC92mxD3qVY Rounds and Call Changes on 14 at Leicester St Margaret
  3. Dove, R. H. (1982) A Bellringer's Guide to the Church Bells of Britain; 6th ed. Aldershot: Viggers; p. 65 (records 13 bells including a flat 6th)
  4. Penny, John (d. 1520) . Cocks . T. Y. .
  5. Web site: Houses of Augustinian canons: Leicester abbey . A History of the County of Leicestershire: Volume 2 (Victoria County History) . Hoskins . W. G. . McKinley . R. A. . London . 1954 . 13–19 . 3 August 2015.
  6. Web site: The National Pipe Organ Register - NPOR. Npor.org.uk. 10 November 2014.
  7. Encyclopedia: Kroeger . Karl . Sadie . Stanley . New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians . Valentine, John . 2001 . Macmillan . 26 . London . 0-333-60800-3 . 207–8 .