Higham Gobion Church Architecture

Higham Gobion church from the south April 2015

The church of Saint Margaret is largely Victorian, having been very thoroughly rebuilt in 1879 and 1880. The building comprises a chancel, nave, north aisle and west tower. It is built from coursed ironstone and cobblestones with ashlar dressings.

The earliest surviving parts of the building are early 14th century, perhaps around 1300. The arcade to the very narrow north aisle dates from this time though there has only been an aisle since 1880, the medieval one having been taken down, perhaps in the 17th century and the arcade blocked up.

The chancel arch is also from around 1300. Some 14th century tracery remains in the chancel north-west window.

The west tower arch is the original medieval one. The rest of the tower above the level of the nave roof is from the Victorian restoration, an illustration of about 1815 showing the tower topped off at nave roof height.

The priest's door as well as the piscina and sedilia in the chancel are all 15th century. They have, though, been reworked.