York Historic Environment Record

Parish church, now warehouse. Reset late C12 south porch in early C14 nave with north aisle; late C15 vestry; rebuilt tower of 1684-85; north aisle rebuilt and arcade restored 1851-52; C20 alteration. C19 works by T Pickersgill. MATERIALS: magnesian limestone with 2-span slate roof to nave and aisle, stone slate roof to vestry; tower of orange-red brick in random bond with east face, plinth, quoins and dressings of stone. PLAN: 4-bay continuous chancel and nave with north aisle; south vestry and porch; west tower. EXTERIOR: twin-gabled east end on double chamfered plinth with 3-stage buttresses. East window of three cinquefoiled lights with curvilinear tracery, north aisle window of two trefoiled lights, both in 2-centred hollow-chamfered openings. Glazed trefoil in apex of each gable. North side on double chamfered plinth with 3-stage buttresses. Windows are of paired trefoiled lights in square-headed openings, westernmost altered to goods doors. South side has double chamfered plinth east of 3-stage buttress, single chamfered to west. Buttressed and gabled porch to west has semicircular arch of 4 orders beneath defaced hoodmould springing from continuous impost band and cushion capitals on engaged shafts and responds. Hoodmould and outer order carved with vine trails spring from double capitals on zig-zag responds. Inner orders carved with grotesque masks, and birds, beasts and figures, including pelican, doves, horsemen and huntsmen; capitals with biblical figures and mythological scenes; continuous impost band with entwined foliage. Vertical face and soffit of blocked door arch within porch heavily carved with various motifs, including flowers and stars, running over beaded arris, and enclosed in open circles: shafts are coupled and engaged. Inner responds of porch pierced by semicircular round-headed niches; gable apex crowned by original defaced Crucifix. South side windows are of 2 ogee-headed lights in square-headed double hollow-chamfered surrounds. Easternmost altered to accommodate gabled vestry on chamfered plinth, with south window similar to those in nave, east window blocked by cement panel and inserted shouldered doorway to west. Replacement Maltese cross inset in gable apex. Tower has tall lower stage beneath set back belfry. Windows inserted in lower stage to north and west are of 2 trefoiled ogee-arched lights in
square-headed surrounds: higher on north side original 1-light rectangular window in quoined and chamfered surround. Belfrey openings are louvred lancets in chamfered quoined surrounds, paired to north, south and west, single to east. Moulded strings to belfry and beneath embattled parapet with defaced pinnacles. South porch removed from chapel of the ruined hospital of St Nicholas and reset probably during 1684-85 rebuilding occasioned by Civil War damage. INTERIOR: not inspected. RCHM records 4 bay north arcade has double chamfered pointed arches springing from octagonal piers with matching responds, partly rebuilt C19. Arched piscina with 7-lobed bowl in chancel against east wall. Roofs of arch-braced collar beam construction are of 1851-2. Many monuments also recorded. (City of York: RCHME: The Central Area: HMSO: 1981-: 22-25).
Listing NGR: SE6095251565

Derived from English Heritage LB download dated: 22/08/2005

NMR information:

(SE 60955157) St. Margaret's Church (NAT) (C of E)

1. WALMGATE
5343 (north-east side)

Church of St Margaret with
St Peter-le-Willows

SE 6051 NE 17/39 14.6.54

2.
1684. Brick tower with stone quoins, but the rest of the church was
rebuilt in 1851-2 by Thomas Pickersfield but incorporates some
original parts; notably a fine Norman porch from the destroyed
lazar house of St Nicholas. The porch is elaborately decorated
with 4 orders of columns and arch mouldings and a label band with
signs of the Zodiac. (RCHM Vol V, Monument 9).

1 Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date) OS 1:2500 1963.
2 List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest 358 City of York, June 1983.
3 List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest District of York, 14/03/1997

Related event: (UID 613515) INVESTIGATION BY RCHME/EH ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY Architectural Survey 14-NOV-1995 - 14-NOV-1995