St Margaret, Hardwick

St Margaret’s is a Grade I parish church on The Street, Hardwick, South Norfolk, in the Diocese of Norwich and the Hempnall Group. Historic England dates the fabric from the twelfth century: a long nave and chancel in one, whose round west tower collapsed in 1770, leaving only the east side of the tower just above nave-roof level.

Overview

The listing records a plain Norman north doorway and an altered Norman south doorway, two-light Perpendicular south windows, Decorated north windows including one with Y-tracery, and a three-light Perpendicular east window. The fifteenth-century south porch is of chequered brick and knapped flint, with a moulded brick arch and brick two-light Perpendicular side windows. Inside is a fifteenth-century arch-braced roof with crenellated wall plate, rood stairs, and a fifteenth-century screen with traceried pointed arches and a painted dado. A wall painting of St Christopher of about 1390 survives on the north wall. Other fittings include a seventeenth-century manorial pew with tester, an early seventeenth-century communion rail with flat balusters, a fifteenth-century octagonal font, fragments of stained glass, and tomb-chests to Thomas Glean (1666) and Sir Peter Gleane (1685).

Norfolk Heritage Explorer adds that the nave is late Norman, the chancel early fourteenth-century, and the nave windows, font and St Christopher painting of the late fourteenth century; the arch-braced roof was raised in the mid- to late fifteenth century. A major restoration took place in 1882; the east wall was rebuilt in 1986. The screen was restored in 1611 and again in 1661 after Puritan damage.

Further Information

• Historic England list entry 1156827
• Hempnall Group: Hardwick