File:St Margaret's church - view west - geograph.org.uk - 1505393.jpg

English: St Margaret's church - view west.

Two hatchments (third not visible, side view):

• Top: Hatchment (sinister/wife's half black) of Elizabeth De'Ath (died 4th. March 1824), widow of John Leathes (died s.p. 1788) of Herringfleet and wife of Anthony Merry. Arms: Gules, on a fess engrailed between three water bougets argent a cross formée sable charged with five bezants between two cloves of the (third) (Merry (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, p.680)), with inescutcheon of pretence Sable, a griffin passant or between three crescents argent (De'Ath of Dartford, Kent (De Ath baronets of Knowlton Court, near Goodnestone, Kent). (Source: "Lothingland on the Internet, History of Herringfleet and St. Olave's part 7: St Margaret's Church, Herringfleet"[1])
• Bottom: for George Leathes (died 1817) of Herringfleet Hall who married Mary Moore, a daughter of J. Moore of Worcestershire. Dexter/husband's background black. Arms: Azure, on a bend between three fleurs-de-lis or as many mullets pierced gules (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, p.592). This version appears to be a differenced version: Argent, on a bend between three fleurs-de-lis azure as many mullets pierced or a bordure wavy gules. (Leathes of Herringfleet Hall) impaling Sable, a swan wings addorsed argent within a border engrailed or (Moore)
  
  

The round tower of St Margaret's church > 1505356 - 1505373 is believed to have been built in two stages between the years 980 and 1080. The chancel was constructed around 1080 and in the 13th century the nave was built which connected the chancel with the until then free-standing tower. Canons from the Priory at the top of Herringfleet Hills served the church until 1537. In the late 16th century the tower was somewhat lowered. Extensive changes were made in the 1820s when the stained glass still in place today was put into the east window by Henry Mussenden Leathes, lord of the manor at Herringfleet Hall. At the same time the church was completely refurbished. The carved font > 1505395 was given in 1860. The east window > 1505377 contains glass of different periods, ranging from the late 14th to the early 18th century. The great majority comes from buildings in Cologne but some of it is derived from other sources, all of German origins. The window also contains glass made by Robert Allen > 1505382 of Lowestoft, who owned a glass factory and produced so-called picture glass in the late18th/early 19th century.