HISTORY
History and TreasuresPeople have worshipped in Leiston for a thousand years.
We know this because in the Domesday Survey of 1086 Leiston had no less than three parish churches. One of these was probably the ancient chapel at Sizewell – long since disappeared.
The list of vicars is complete from 1182 when Sir Ranulf de Glanvil founded the Abbey. The original Abbey was built on the lonely Minsmere marshes and its ruins can still be seen close to the footpath near Minsmere sluice.
The Abbey was rebuilt in 1363 on its present site and along with other religious communities was suppressed in 1536.
The patronage of the living of Leiston passed during the sixteenth century to Nicholas de Cryol and to Robert de Ufford. It was later acquired by the Company of Haberdashers, which remains the patron.
The church is one of 20 mediaeval Suffolk churches dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch who was martyred for her faith during the emperor Diocletion's persecution of the Christians in the fourth century. Many legends have grown up around her and she became a very popular saint during the late Middle Ages.
Today, as then, she is regarded as the patron saint of childbirth. Her emblem is a cross penetrating the open mouth of a dragon - symbolising her triumph over Satan and the forces of evil.
All churches bear the scars and evidence of change experienced over the many years of their existence but Leiston's church has been altered more drastically than most. Its story has been influenced by the rich history and traditions of the English Church, by the nearby Abbey church, by some important Leiston families, and by the clergy who, over the years, have cared for the building and its people.
However, the biggest influence on the church in Leiston is linked with the growth of the town due to the presence of the Garretts.
Garrett's began in a blacksmith's shop in Woodbridge, which moved to Leiston in 1778 and gradually expanded into a prosperous and large engineering business, making a variety of machinery, especially traction engines and agricultural implements.
During this time the population of Leiston in the 1730s was 823, rising to 1177 in 1841 and in 1871 it had grown to 2252 inhabitants. So by the mid nineteenth century the old church could no longer cope with the huge increase in the number of worshippers.
It rose to 3260 in 1901 and in 1921 to 4630.
Coupled with this was the presence of a remarkable vicar – The Reverend John Calvert Blathwayt. His strict evangelical style was attracting large congregations to hear his gospel preaching.
All of this meant one thing: the church needed to be enlarged to accommodate at least 800 people.
It was decided in 1853 to rebuild the church and the architect appointed for the task was Edwin Buckton Lamb. Only the tower (1360) and the font were to be retained from the original mediaeval church, together with a number of tablets and memorials.
The new church was built in the style of the Gothic revival and is an outstanding example. The trend at this time was to promote the building and restoration of churches on pre-Reformation lines restoring Catholic principles and sacramental worship in the Church of England.
However, St Margaret's was designed as a large ‘preaching-house'.
The work to rebuild the church commenced in April 1853 and was finished in August 1854.
Great celebrations took place on August 31st for the grand re-opening of the church. It was a Saturday and the whole town was decorated with garlanded triumphal arches adorned with appropriate mottoes. Garrett's factory had a handsome double arch of evergreens and flowers.
A dinner of roast beef and plum pudding was provided for the poor, the aged and the children. Afterwards the townsfolk walked in procession to Leiston Old Abbey where the Hon. Miss Thellusson provided tea and amusements for everyone.
Unfortunately the vicar was unable to attend the official opening service due to ill health. None other than the Bishop of London blessed the church.
The church was crowded to excess that day and the collection amounted to £77. 2s. 4d. - a very large amount of money in those days.
The celebrations were tempered by financial problems. The architect had seriously underestimated the cost of rebuilding.
The original budget for the entire project was £2500 and, to keep the costs down, several local farmers agreed to cart building materials to the site and dispose of rubble and soil free of charge. Unfortunately they failed to keep their promise adding a further £32 to the building cost.
Furthermore there were problems with the building itself. The roof leaked badly and the building was draughty and inadequately heated. By 1871 the church roof was in such an unsatisfactory state that it needed completely retiling on the outside and close boarding on the inside. The cost of the work was £176 of which Messrs Garrett's firm contributed £100 and Mrs Garrett of Carlton Hall gave £50.
1874 saw the death of Reverend John Blathwayt who had guided the parish for 37 years through the great re-building programme. It marked the end of an era at St Margaret's because, although his successor was his nephew, he was a priest of the Catholic tradition. Berney Wodehouse Raven was to steer St Margaret's along new channels.
Some important features of the church building include the Rope window. Located in the North transept this depicts various biblical scenes from the Gospels of St Matthew and St Luke.
It was designed and made by Margaret Rope and dedicated to her parents, Arthur and Agnes Rope. Arthur was churchwarden for over 40 years.
The East window is a superb example of the work of Charles Earnest Kempe – one of the finest stained glassmakers at the turn of the century. It is a memorial to Anne Garrett who died in 1897 and is full of female saints. The interesting thing is that the face of each one of the saints depicted therein, is a representation of Anne Garrett at a different stage of her life.
There is a very fine memorial bust of Richard Garrett III (died 1866) carved by Thomas Thurlow of Saxmundham and a memorial plaque to Stephen Garrett (who died at Neuve Chappelle in 1915).
St Margaret's Today
Easter 2006 saw the completion of the latest transformation of this very important church.
Planning permission was granted for the building of three new bungalows on land occupied by the nearby church hall – a building that was becoming a significant drain on the PCC's resources. The proceeds from the sale of the land meant that the project for re-ordering St Margaret's could, after a decade of planning come to fruition.
The work would include the removal of the poor pine benches, the introduction of a nave altar at the crossing, and a complete refurbishment which provided a new kitchen and toilet, as well as new lighting, heating and sound systems.
200 new upholstered chairs replaced the benches providing a flexible worship space that could also be used for social and community events - in fact all of the activities that used to take place in the church hall.
The result is a stunning interior with up-lighting to Lamb's magnificent roof structure and a beautiful corona over the new modern altar.
The diocesan bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, the Right Reverend Richard Lewis, officially rededicated the refurbished church on the 23rd of March 2006.
The refurbishment project is the result of many years of hard work and dedicated commitment from consecutive church councils and three incumbents. We now have a church that is fit for God's work in the 21st century and a building that is relevant to modern needs both human and spiritual.
Simon Merrett, Churchwarden 2007
Acknowledgements:
St Margaret's Church – History and Guide - Roy Tricker 1990
Garrett 200 – R.A. Whitehead - 1978
