St Margaret
West Suffolk
Suffolk
A mainly C14 flint and stone rubble church with stone dressings.
Architectural Features
The clerestorey is C15 and the red brick square west tower is C18.
In the C17 the west tower collapsed and it was replaced by the present red brick tower in 1733 which was built by Francis Dickens of Branches Park (As stated on a stone tablet in the gallery).
The greater part of the mediaeval rood screen remains.
On each side of the chancel arch there is a squint and above the arch there are traces of a large mediaeval wall painting depicting the last judgement.
In the west gallery there is a hatchment of King George II and on the south wall one of Henry Usborne who lived at Branches Park and was High Sherriff of the County in 1823.
There is a marble monument to Frances Dickens with seated figures of himself and his wife.
Above the benches there is an interesting tablet which states :- "MEM DM THAT AT A VISIT ACTION HOULD EN AT COWLINGE THE 2 DAY OF JULY IN THE YEAR OF O LORD 1618 IT WAS NACTED WITH THE CONSENTE OF THE CHURCH WARDENS THAT IT SHOULD BE LAWFUL FOR THOMAS WOLRYCH ESQUIER TO ERECT AND BUILD UP CERTEINE SEATES BEHIND THE NORTH CHURCH DORE FOR THE USE OF THE KEEPER OF THE CORRECTION HOUSE IN COWLINGE AFORESAIDE AND THE PRISONERS THEREIN AND SO TO CONTINEWE".