St Margaret

This fine grade I listed church was built in the 1300s on the site of an earlier church, on a pilgrims route between Bromholm Priory, in the adjacent village of Bacton, and a hostel and chapel at Stow Hill where Paston windmill now stands.

The church is famous for its association with the Paston family, who lived in the adjoining Hall, whose letters in the early 15th century give an insight into the life of an upwardly mobile family during the Wars of the Roses. You approach the church from the north, the 'wrong' side, because the first Sir William Paston in the early 15th century diverted the road away from Paston Hall to reduce disturbance to himself and his family, much to the annoyance of local villagers!

The church also contains a series of rare and important medieval wall paintings in the nave, including a large St Christopher and Christ Child and a 'Three Living and Three Dead' sequence, well known in English churches after the Black Death. The paintings vividly portray the English church before the Reformation with its rich narratives of the saints, moralities and iconography of the Passion before it was banned.

As you enter the church, facing you is a late 14th century wall painting of St Christopher crossing a river with the Christ Child on his shoulder. At his feet is the water and a fish. Legend says that he was a strong man but nearly brought down by the weight of the child who was carrying the sins of the world. Seeing St Christopher was reputed to bring good luck and protection for the rest of the day.

The other painting on the north wall is a morality tale depicting three noble huntsmen coming upon three skeletons hanging from a tree, showing how everyone ends up. Below that scene is a soul being weighed in a scale (the soul being represented by a naked figure with hands clasped in prayer).

Further paintings uncovered in 2014 can be seen over the chancel arch and all were restored in 2021.

In the chancel are some early 17th century memorials to Paston family members by Nicholas Stone, foremost sculptor of his age, one of them, that of Lady Katherine Paston, with an inscription by John Donne the Elizabethan/Jacobean poet better known for his romantic poetry.

Also of note are the stained glass memorial windows and the pew ends. One features the Paston family crest, a Griffon, and another a devil sticking out its tongue!