2012
TF3550 : St Margaret of Antioch church, Sibsey
taken 13 years ago, near to Sibsey, Lincolnshire, England

St Margaret of Antioch church, Sibsey
Grade I listed. 12th C onwards, there is a Norman doorway in the north aisle.
The church tower appears to be a mix of styles from late Norman, Early English and Early Decorated periods. The north wall of the tower had renovation work at the time the chancel was rebuilt in the mid 19th century at which time the church roof was also renewed. The clerestory has lead rainwater piping bearing the date 1715 but the clerestory probably predates this by at least two centuries.
Inside the church the arcades supporting the clerestory appear to be of Norman style. A rood screen and the accompanying stairs were most probably constructed at the same time, possibly as late as the 15th century.
The rood screen and loft (or rather their absence) present something of a mystery. The rood loft stairs are in very sound condition and Lord Monson comments on this in his Lincolnshire Church Notes of 14th August 1835 – ‘the steps of the rood loft remain quite perfect to the top of the south side’. He does not mention the rood loft in existence.
Edward Peacock, in English Church Furniture, quotes from the Inventarium Monumentorum Superstitionis of 1566, describing the destruction of what was considered popish idolatory at the time of Elizabeth I, that at Sibsey ‘the roud loffte – we have our setes in the church’ – rather suggesting that the rood screen and loft were demolished and used to make benches in the nave. It further reports the destruction of all the vestments of ‘the papist priste’. Of the two altar stones, one was said to be broken up and the other ‘layd for a brege’.
The chancel was rebuilt in 1855/6. During the rebuilding in 1855, a sedilia and piscina in the south wall of the chancel were discovered, carefully restored and are in good condition.
The south aisle, or Lady Chapel, is most likely of the early perpendicular period and may have replaced Norman work or could have been added to an earlier Norman nave.
(Info from church guide)
See other images of St Margaret's church, Sibsey
The church tower appears to be a mix of styles from late Norman, Early English and Early Decorated periods. The north wall of the tower had renovation work at the time the chancel was rebuilt in the mid 19th century at which time the church roof was also renewed. The clerestory has lead rainwater piping bearing the date 1715 but the clerestory probably predates this by at least two centuries.
Inside the church the arcades supporting the clerestory appear to be of Norman style. A rood screen and the accompanying stairs were most probably constructed at the same time, possibly as late as the 15th century.
The rood screen and loft (or rather their absence) present something of a mystery. The rood loft stairs are in very sound condition and Lord Monson comments on this in his Lincolnshire Church Notes of 14th August 1835 – ‘the steps of the rood loft remain quite perfect to the top of the south side’. He does not mention the rood loft in existence.
Edward Peacock, in English Church Furniture, quotes from the Inventarium Monumentorum Superstitionis of 1566, describing the destruction of what was considered popish idolatory at the time of Elizabeth I, that at Sibsey ‘the roud loffte – we have our setes in the church’ – rather suggesting that the rood screen and loft were demolished and used to make benches in the nave. It further reports the destruction of all the vestments of ‘the papist priste’. Of the two altar stones, one was said to be broken up and the other ‘layd for a brege’.
The chancel was rebuilt in 1855/6. During the rebuilding in 1855, a sedilia and piscina in the south wall of the chancel were discovered, carefully restored and are in good condition.
The south aisle, or Lady Chapel, is most likely of the early perpendicular period and may have replaced Norman work or could have been added to an earlier Norman nave.
(Info from church guide)
See other images of St Margaret's church, Sibsey