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St. Margaret of Antioch
The joint parishes of Linstead Parva and Magna form the most westerly part of the Blyth Valley Team of parishes
The Team Rector is: The Revd Dominic Doble
The Rectory
Highfield Road
Halesworth
Suffolk IP19 8SJ.
Tel: 01986 948968
E-mail: admin.bvtm@btconnect.com
The Churchwarden and Lay Elder is: Malcolm Heath Dormy House, Linstead, Suffolk IP19 0AD. Tel: 01986 785289. E-mail: mlheath@aol.com
Church notices
Church events 2022
The Church
St Margaret of Antioch, Linstead Parva is at the extreme eastern end of the village, where the B1123 is crossed by the Huntingfield to Rumburgh road. For Sat Nav afficianados the postcode is IP19 0AD.
It was mostly built at the beginning of the 13th century. It was constructed as a chapel-of-ease, marking the end of the lands of the Cluniac Priory at Mendham.
Some of the original windows remain but most were replaced in the 16th century, and are surrounded by Tudor brick. The windows were paid for by subscriptions from individual families. The font is probably late 14th century and is octagonal. One face is uncarved, indicating that it was probably placed against the west wall of the church. It was placed on its present base in the late 19th century. The bowl is on a plinth, supported by four lions. It carries the signs of the four Evangelists, interspersed with demi-angels. Will Dowsing visited the church in the 17th century, removing the statues from the niches on the outside of the west wall. He removed carving from the beam-ends and also reorganised the carving on the font.
In the 18th century the church was fitted with box-pews and also with the present belfry. There is a picture showing the interior of the church as it was at that time. The bell, dated 1789, is from the Whitechapel bell-foundry.
At the end of the 19th century, the church was completely restored. The present furniture was installed and the porch & vestry were added. A contemporary newspaper cutting reports on the re-dedication.
In the vestry are photographs of St. Peter's, Linstead Magna. This has now entirely disappeared. Some gravestones are now in the churchyard of St. Margaret's. The plate, including a pre-Reformation cup and cover, is now in the Cathedral Treasury at Bury St Edmund's. The Decalogue, together with some of the pews and pew-ends, were brought to St. Margaret's before St. Peter's was demolished. The font of St. Peter's, together with its bell, went to the church of St. Augustine of Hippo, Ipswich, which was being built at the time that St. Peter's was declared redundant..
Services
There are normally two services a month, on the second and fourth Sunday of the month. However these do vary and details of forthcoming services will be found both on the notice board in the porch and in Team Times, the parishes' magazine. Although mostly taken from the Book of Common Prayer, the services are of a friendly and informal nature and, needless to say, visitors will be made most welcome.
Weddings & Baptisms
Naturally, we welcome the weddings and baptisms of anyone living within the Team area as well as of those with Linstead connections. The church holds about 60 comfortably, although up to 90 can be accommodated with a squeeze!
Family Research
When you enter the church, at the foot of the font, there are two ring binders; one contains a list of all baptisms since 1813, the other contains a map of the churchyard together with a list of all gravestones and all burials (not all of which have gravestones) since 1813. The Suffolk Records Office holds the original registers which go back to the mid 16th Century. If you have any queries, or require assistance of any sort, please contact the Lay Elder.
Church Services - Linstead
All services are now listed on the Main 'Churches' tab. When no services are listed for Linstead or Chediston, alternative venues in the Blyth Valley team will be shown.