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Welcome to the Eastern Branch
Church of the Month – Burgh St Margaret (Fleggburgh)
The village of Burgh St Margaret, more often called Fleggburgh, lies on the A1064 main Acle to Caister road. A very popular attraction once thrived in the village – The Village Experience – a collection of old buildings, sawmill, miniature steam railway, old fairground rides and a museum too. Sadly this closed in 2004 when the owners retired and all the attractions were auctioned.
The church of St Margaret, which has a public house for a neighbour, was virtually rebuilt in 1876, but it has a few touches of interest still. From the outside, as one approaches from the roadway, above the south porch is a cottage-like dormer window that peeps out from the thatched nave roof. The purpose for this one will find inside is to illuminate the west gallery that was installed in the C19. Passing through the porch the south doorway is of Norman origin with plenty of rather crudely done zigzag carving. Inside, apart from the gallery, there is a small figure brass to John Burton (d.1608) on the wall of the chancel; he was a rector who preached here in the days of Elizabeth I, and shows him with a beard, kneeling in a gown and ruff; quite a rarity as post-Reformation brasses of clergy are uncommon. The East window has modern glass depicting St Margaret of Antioch, St Luke & the Virgin.
Nearby, in the middle of a field, lies the ruins of St Mary’s church – a round-towered Norman church that fell into disuse in the C16 and was declared “ decayed, profaned and used as a barn” in 1600.
St Margaret’s church tower holds a ring of three bells, all re-cast by Mears & Stainbank in 1899. The tenor weighs 6-0-10. It is possible that this church could be a candidate for augmentation up to a ring of five. Inspection of the existing bells and structure has been made and the general opinion is that they are in fairly good condition considering the three bells have not been rung for a very long time. This is certainly one church to look out for in the future if funds allow for the upgrading of the bells.
