church church anglican church neighbourhood town borough england ancient parish church village medieval settlement expanded form new town church modern parish serves present building incorporates chancel 13th century church replaced wooden building centuries earlier additions 14th century included stone representing knight wife considered excellent examples sculptures structural changes took place regular intervals major victorian restoration architect included extension nave new tower english heritage listed church grade architectural historical importance churchyard old tombs monuments including writer grave decorated table tomb listed separately english_heritage grade memorials interior walls internal fixtures include 12th century font unusual decorative carvings history ancient parish covered acres rural land north sussex border surrey attached nearby century church built centre small settlement recorded book present stone building believed stand site older wooden church possibly dating 10th 11th century earliest record vicar present church simply listed church list simon took 13th century church stone built nave chancel survives present building 12th century font probably taken building place time chancel arch inserted nave chancel dedication later recorded added nave 14th century north south doubling seating capacity windows installed nave century later timber porch built north chancel arch widened screen installed standard feature churches medieval era wall decorations paintings ecclesiastical feeling moved favour walls screens pillars 17th century parliament decreed changes vicar reverend strict protestant strongly opposed catholic style worship ceremony church decoration enforced new style screen internal decoration removed time major work took place gallery built choir replaced large box taken parish church london restoration took place roof improved built incorporating wood famous old trees county oak cut time tree marked ancient county boundary sussex surrey barrel organ installed architect archaeologist fellow architect built tall substantial tower west end replace earlier small tower porch replaced older bell turret lengthened nave removed gallery west end church exterior walls rough stone hidden modern layers cement church approached east end street ancient village street architecture church chancel wide nave narrow narrow bay north south sides tall tower topped west end porch north nave chancel chancel arch date 13th century arcades largely 14th century origins feature designs typical period including arches octagonal columns corners windows date century century later headed designs larger square headed perpendicular gothic windows windows contain stained glass roof nave tall pitched substantial king posts tie beams medieval origin architectural historian considered tower described windows double internal arch odd effective details unusually rendered way body church producing heavy effect tall windows lower stage smaller depict resurrection ascension jesus christ respectively internal fittings date 19th century renovations font far oldest feature church dating late 12th century local marble carved stem flanked columns topped delicate leaf like capitals roll ornamentation uncommon norman era font form typical deep square bowl supported wide central column narrower shafts memorials churchyard east end nave large 14th century stone survivors 17th century subsequent changes church considered high quality examples kind life size representations knight suit armour woman lying backs prayer sources identify sir john wife disagreement date death date carved cited figures carved london locally heads rest angels feet lions great praise noting far usual standard sideways sway carved rare sussex common find stood recorded examples county founding editor satirical magazine punch lived parish mid-19th century owned vine cottage high street formed boundary parish parish john baptist closer buried large table tomb west end churchyard listed separately english_heritage grade listed structure dating contains remains george structure pale heavily stone including step inscriptions sides topped carved decorated grade listing given february large tombs 18th century churchyard good examples use artificial stone popular time brass stone memorial inside church 16th century onwards prominent wall memorial chancel addition tomb outside local sculptor designed stone carved reverend obscure london based mid-19th century sculptor parish church today listed grade english_heritage february grade buildings listed buildings grades borough buildings classified grade considered exceptional interest national importance present day parish covers west rural roads county oak form eastern southern boundaries edge estate boundary extends farms rural roads hamlet northern border close county boundary surrey southern edge airport serves parish church parish churches covers church plant venue west neighbourhood team rector responsible running churches pastoral care based served church far southwest parish church brick building tall bell tower nearby served churches built second world war new town designed
St Margaret's Church, Ifield