Old Catton – St. Margaret’s Church

There’s something quite charming about Old Catton, a village with some character to it, but somewhat now part of Norwich’s urban sprawl. The village’s church of St. Margaret also clearly shows the signs of piecemeal additions over the centuries, no doubt required by changes in the size and needs of the congregation.

The church’s quite modern lychgate doesn’t really seem big enough to shield a coffin in the rain, so I assume this is more decorative than functional.

From the road, the original twelfth-century church is more visible, but from the rear (as in the above photo) the additions are more apparent.

LIke the nave, the round tower is also from the twelfth century and, fortunately, the ivy which once covered it in the nineteenth century has been removed.

The tower was modified in the fifteenth century and the octagonal top section added.

Where the tower meets the nave, with numerous periods of building work evident. Churches are slowly re-opening at the moment, although this church is only open for prayer on a very limited basis, but I will hopefully be able to get back to look at what is apparently a mostly Victorian interior, albeit with a much older pulpit.