St Margaret of Antioch Church, Leigh Delamere

St Margaret of Antioch Church in Leigh Delamere, Wiltshire, England was built on the site of a previous 12th-century church in 1846 and dedicated to Margaret the Virgin. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a Grade II* listed building,[1] and is now a redundant church in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.[2] It was declared redundant on 1 November 1992, and was vested in the Trust on 16 December 1993.[3]

St Margaret of Antioch Church
LocationLeigh Delamere, Wiltshire, England
Coordinates51°30′44″N 2°10′04″W
Built1846
ArchitectJames Thomson
Architectural style(s)Gothic revival
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official name: Church of St Margaret
Designated20 December 1960[1]
Reference no.1022289
Location of St Margaret of Antioch Church in Wiltshire

The previous church had been built around 1190, in an Early English style with Norman features. In 1301 the patron of the church was John De la Mare. By 1846 the church was in a dilapidated condition and it would have cost more to repair than rebuild. The new church was commissioned by Joseph Neeld and designed by James Thomson, who also designed the nearby Grittleton House. Stonework from the earlier church, including the bell tower, was reused by Thomson to build Sevington School.[4][5]

The Gothic chancel includes a reredos which is carved and decorated in many colours. The west window has stained glass by Thomas Wilmshurst.[2][6] There are many memorials including those to the Neeld Baronets.[1]

A new organ was installed in 1896, and electricity supplied in 1949, although attendance by this time was very low. The building was designated as Grade II* listed in 1960,[1] and the roadside lychgate as Grade II in 1988.[7] The church was closed as a regular place of worship in 1992.[8] In the 21st century a 15th-century stone rood which had been hidden under the pews was restored by Minerva Conservation and placed in the chancel.[9]

In 2016 the church was used as a venue for "pop-up" opera with a performance of The Barber of Seville.[10]

See also
  • List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in South West England

References
  1. Historic England. "Church of St Margaret (1022289)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  2. "Church of St Margaret of Antioch, Leigh Delamere, Wiltshire". The Churches Conservation Trust. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  3. Diocese of Bristol: All Schemes (PDF). Church Commissioners/Statistics. Church of England. 2011. p. 5. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
  4. "Church of St. Margaret, Leigh Delamere". Wiltshire Community History. Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  5. Pevsner, Nikolaus; Cherry, Bridget (revision) (1975) [1963]. Wiltshire. The Buildings of England (2nd ed.). Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. pp. 294–295. ISBN 0-14-0710-26-4.
  6. "St. Margaret of Antioch, Leigh Delamere, Wiltshire, England". Duncan & Mandy Ball. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  7. Historic England. "Lychgate to south of Church of St Margaret, with enclosing wall (1198449)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  8. "Church of St. Margaret, Leigh Delamere". Wiltshire Council. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  9. "St Margaret of Antioch, Leigh Delamere, Wiltshire". Minerva Conservation. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  10. "St Margaret's Church, Leigh Delamere, Chippenham". Popup Opera. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
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