Aspley

St Margaret

Nottingham Archdeaconry

Nottingham North Deanery

Introduction

A new ecclesiastical district of St. Margaret, Aspley, was constituted in December 1933. A temporary prefabricated building of wood and asbestos had been opened in November 1933 to serve as a mission hall to the new estate of council houses built by Nottingham Corporation.

The foundation stone of the brick church on Aspley Lane was laid in November 1934 and the church consecrated on 15th February 1936. It consists of a nave with aisles, chancel, chapel vestries and organ chamber, a south porch and an embattled west tower with a ring of eight bells all cast by J Taylor & Co of Loughborough.

This huge church is built of red brick with stone dressings; the interior is faced with two-inch buff bricks. Nave piers and arcades are of Alton stone and the rest of the stonework is of Ancaster stone. The woodwork is oak enriched with tracery and carving in the reredos, screens and organ, pulpit and lectern.

The tower clock was installed by G F Cope & Co. in 1953 and is dedicated as a war memorial to the 39 men of Aspley who died in the Second World War.

There are several plaques, one of which expresses gratitude to John Dane Player and his wife Margaret who ‘built this church’.

The impressive 22-light east window, produced by MDS Stained Glass in 2008, commemorates George Newell who was a member of the congregation and also a chorister. It shows the risen, glorified Christ, and also includes representations of the 1930s and various Christian imagery and symbols connected with his life.

Particular thanks to Doug Fletcher, Jo Perrett and Andy Nicholson for research on this entry
and to Geoff Buxton and Dr Chris Brooke for the photographs.