FIFEHEAD MAGDALEN

St. Mary Magdalene

This is a delightful little church serving a charming and very rural hamlet, where there has been a settlement here since ancient times.  It was mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086), however the first mention of a church is found in the records of the Abbey of St. Augustine in Bristol in the mid 12c and the first recorded Rector was instituted in 1307.

The present building dates from 14c when there was a simple nave, chancel and south tower.  A north mortuary chapel was added to house the Newman family monuments in 1750.  There were no further significant alterations until 1904 - 5.

The magnificent candle-lit brass chandeliers in the nave, the 1637 entrance door and the excellent barrel roofs are especially worthy of note.  There are two fonts; the one at the back of the building is particularly interesting because it has elements dating from both 15c and 18c.  The stained glass west window is from 1973.