Norwich Mediaeval City Churches Norwich Mediaeval City Churches
Mediaeval city churches 00 [ Map ]
Norwich Historic Churches Trust
Simon Knott's Norfolk Churches
All Saints Church:
Mediaeval city churches 01 [ All Saints: Nave Arcade (16c.), Chancel (14c.), Font (15c. - with Apostles and Evangelists around the bowl and other saints around the shaft - since transferred to the rebuilt St Julian’s church) ]
St Andrew’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 02 [ St
Andrew’s: Chancel (early 16c.), Tower (96 feet - built 1478 prior to rest of church), Base course of fine shields at east end of Chancel (probably a century older than the church) ]
Mediaeval city churches 03 [ St
Andrew’s: Tie-beam roof (early 16c.), Font (modern with 1637-dated Cover), Tomb of Sir John Suckling (d. 1613) and wife, Monument to Robert Garsett (d. 18th March 1611), Monument to Robert Suckling ]
St Augustine’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 04 [ St
Augustine’s: Tower (1680’s red brick replacing former Tower that collapsed 1677), Arcade (16c.), Font (15c. octagonal) ]
Mediaeval city churches 05 [ St
Augustine’s memorials to: Thomas Clabburn (master weaver d. 31st March 1858 aged 70), Matthew Brettingham (architect of Norwich d. 19th August 1769 aged 70), Elisha de Hague (Town Clerk of Norwich d. 11th July 1792 aged 74) ]
St Bartholomew’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 06 [ St
Bartholomew’s Ber Street Map ]
Mediaeval city churches 07 [ St Bartholomew’s Ber Street (desecrated at the time of the Dissolution - further parts demolished 1939): Nave, Chancel ]
Mediaeval city churches 08 [ St
Bartholomew’s Ber Street: Square west Tower remains, South doorway arch ]
St Benedict’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 09 [ St Benedict’s: Tower (Norman) and later north Aisle (survived 1942 air raids), Chancel (four centred Tudor arch), Interior, Font (15c. with figures of saints) ]
St Clement’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 10 [ St
Clement’s (mainly Perpendicular): Interior (span of 29 feet), Font (16c.), Tomb of parents of Matthew Parker (Archbishop of Canterbury 1559-75) who resided in this parish ]
St Crowche’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 11 [ St
Crowche’s ]
This church, dedicated in honour of the Invention of the Holy Cross, became redundant at the time of the Reformation. It stood across what is now the bottom of Exchange Street, and pedestrians had to go round its churchyard to get into St Andrew’. A tavern with the sign of the “Hole in the Wall” was later built partly on the east end. Nothing now remains, but a mediaeval stone corbel set in a flint wall off the north side of St Andrew’s Street is believed to have come from this church.
St Edmund’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 12 [ St
Edmund’s (16c.): Original open timber roof with large central wooden boss, Two Arcade piers have small arches cut through them ]
St Etheldreda’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 13 [ St
Etheldreda’s: Tower (circular Norman with octagonal top), South doorway (Norman), Norman stringcourse on north side of Nave (possibly the blocked arch of the original north doorway) ]
Mediaeval city churches 14 [ St
Etheldreda’s: Monument to William Johnson (Alderman of Norwich d. 1611), East window (14c. style but is different to that drawn by Sillett in 1828), Font (15c. with panelled bowl) ]
St George Colegate Church:
Mediaeval city churches 15 [ St George
Colegate: Tower (94 feet), South doorway (Spandrels show the Annunciation and St George being girded with armour by Angels) ]
Mediaeval city churches 16 [ St George
Colegate: Memorial tablet to John Crome (founder of Norwich school of painters - d. 22nd April 1821), Altar and Reredos (18c.), Monument to John Herring (Mayor of Norwich 1799 - d. 22nd September 1810), Terracotta Altar Tomb to Robert Jannys (Mayor of Norwich 1517 and 1524 - d. 1530) ]
St George Tombland Church:
Mediaeval city churches 17 [ St George
Tombland Map ]
“W. tower, N. and S. porch, nave, N. and S. aisles, chancel and chancel chapel. The tower has nice sound holes. Late 15c S. porch, groined and with parvise over. Typical 13c hexagonal Purbeck font with very nice 17c cover. Under the tomb of John Symonds 1609 there is a marble top which looks like a dole table. Clerestory windows to whole of nave and chancel. Very nice 17c pulpit with back board and canopy, iron-bound chest, mace and sword stand, and Royal Arms over tower arch, but too dark to make out.” from “Norfolk Churches” by H.Munro Cautley F.S.A. A.R.I.B.A. 1949.
“East of Princes Street and south-west corner of Tombland. Square west Tower, a clock and 5 bells, Nave with Aisles, Chancel and south Porch. Chiefly in the Perpendicular style, slight evidences of earlier work. The Tower was erected by the parishioners in 1445. The clock was given by George Maltby in 1786. There is also a sanctus bell. The clerestory of brick, built with dark grey headers and red stretchers. Several monuments to city worthies, including one to the founder of the Great Hospital. A Jacobean Pulpit and sounding-board. The Font has a Jacobean Cover. The Rev W.Bridge was ejected from the incumbency of this parish for refusing to read the Book of Sports. He afterwards became pastor of the Old Meeting House. Registers from 1538.” From “Parish Churches of Norfolk and Norwich” by Claude J.W.Messent A.R.I.B.A. 1936.
“The five arches of the Nave are conspicuous in the irregular arrangement of their columns, which are neither opposite nor equal in number. The shafts are octagonal, the capitals exhibiting some bold cutting; whilst the moulding around the arches forms a succession of simple rectangular recesses. It is considered that the western arch of the south Arcade was reformed in the fifteenth century when the present Tower was erected. The roof of the Nave, with its hand-corbels, has been rebuilt in Perpendicular times; when a flatter roof of the period was substituted for the old high-pitched Decorated one, the rake of which is shown by the stone-string on the Tower. On the Spandrels shields and scrolls are painted.” Extract from “St George Tombland, Norwich, Past and Present” by Edward A.Tillet 1891.
Mediaeval city churches 18 [ St George
Tombland: Tower (built 1445), Font (13c. Purbeck with 17c. Cover) ]
St Giles’ Church:
Mediaeval city churches 19 [ St Giles’ (Tower restored 1955) ]
Mediaeval city churches 20 [ St Giles’:
Bells prior to rehanging, Chancel (built 1866 in place of former one demolished 1581), South Porch (fine parapet and cornice) ]
The eight bells lying in the churchyard prior to being rehung after having been retuned in April 1932. The three largest were the original peal put up shortly after the Tower was built, early in the 15c., and were probably cast by Richard Baxter, a Norwich bellfounder.
Mediaeval city churches 21 [ St Giles’: Font, Iron Beacon Grate (formerly stood on top of the Tower) ]
St Gregory’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 22 [ St
Gregory’s: South Porch with canopied Niche, Processional path below Altar (now a public alleyway) ]
Mediaeval city churches 23 [ St
Gregory’s: Ringers’ gallery, Font (15c. octagonal with Jacobean Cover), Mural painting (west wall of north Aisle depicting St George and Dragon c.1450), Escutcheon of sanctuary knocker (14c. - showing a wolf holding a head having a bifurcated beard possibly St Edmund), Brass Eagle lectern (1493) ]
St Helen’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 24 [ St Helen’s: Tower, Cloister
]
This church is now part of the Great Hospital of St Giles, and only the centre part is used for Divine Worship - the greater part of the Nave and Quire having been adapted for inmates. The whole is 15th century.
Mediaeval city churches 25 [ St Helen’s: Nave, South Transept (where present Altar stands), Pew (erected by T.Williams and Elizabeth Mary Ivory 1780), Groined roof of south Transept (with stone bosses) ]
St James’ Church:
Mediaeval city churches 26 [ St James’: Font (14c. octagonal - figures of Apostles and Evangelists and eight female Saints), Tower (stands in the body of the church on arches - only the west wall being solid), Two panels (from the old Rood Screen - they now flank the north wall of the Chancel - the present Rood Screen is modern) ]
St John Maddermarket Church:
Mediaeval city churches 27 [ St John
Maddermarket: Tower with pinnacles (15c. - stands over an alleyway with arches north and south), North Porch, Altar and Reredos), Churchyard (there is supposed to have been a Chancel but there is no documentary or structural evidence) ]
St John de Sepulchre Church:
Mediaeval city churches 28 [ St John de
Sepulchre (15c.): Tower (with stair turret), Nave (28 feet 2 inches wide with four-centred arches), Font (typical East Anglian type), North Porch (vaulted ceiling and Parvise above) ]
St John Timberhill Church:
Mediaeval city churches 29 [ St John
Timberhill: East window (14c.), Roof (with two modern dormers), South Porch (vaulting and Parvise over - the square western Tower fell in 1784 and was not rebuilt), Screen and Rood Beam (modern) ]
St Julian’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 30 [ St Julian’s (Norman except for modern upper part to east wall): Interior, Tower (pre-conquest round), Screen (modern), Tablet commemorating The Anchoress Julian (who lived in a cell attached to the church c1342-1430), Font (15c.) ]
Mediaeval city churches 31 [ St Julian’s: After air-raid damage (pictured 1946), Being rebuilt (with much of the original north wall and lower stages of the Tower being retained 1952) ]
Mediaeval city churches 32 [ St
Julian’s: After reconstruction (pictured 1960), Interior (with Norman doorway taken from blitzed church of St Michael at Thorn) ]
St Lawrence’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 33 [ St
Lawrence’s: Arch over westway door (left and right carvings show martyrdom of St Lawrence and King Edward), South Porch ]
Mediaeval city churches 34 [ St
Lawrence’s: Font (15c.), Door to Rood stair turret (linenfold pattern in panels) ]
Rebuilding of the church was completed 1472. It is said to stand on the site of an ancient quay for landing fish.
St Margaret’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 35 [ St
Margaret’s: South Porch, Mediaeval stone crucifix (set in modern north Vestry wall) ]
Mediaeval city churches 36 [ St
Margaret’s: Font (14c.), Parish Chest (15c.), Arched openings in Nave walls (leading to eastern Chapel and Aisle) ]
St Benedict’s Street: St Margaret’s
St Martin at Oak Church:
Mediaeval city churches 37 [ St Martin
at Oak: Tower (complete), Tower (war damaged), Tower (truncated after restoration and conversion of the building into a parish hall 1955) ]
Before the Reformation a large Oak tree grew in the churchyard in which was an image of Our Lady.
Mediaeval city churches 38 [ St Martin
at Oak: Jacobean Priest’s Chair, Font (15c.), Monument to Jeremiah Revans and wife (d. 1727 and 1711), South Arcade (slender and refined late Perpendicular piers) ]
St Martin at Palace Church:
Mediaeval city churches 39 [ St Martin
at Palace: Tower (restored and raised to its original height in 1874), East end (Saxon “long and short” work in the angles of the Chancel ]
Mediaeval city churches 40 [ St Martin
at Palace: Spider Candelabrum (above Font), Elizabeth Calthorpe Tomb (with chained book), Font (15th c. octagonal) ]
St Mary Coslany Church:
Mediaeval city churches 41 [ St Mary Coslany: Tower (pre-conquest circular), South Porch, Font (octagonal with early 18c. Cover), Nave (26 feet 3 inches wide with archbraced roof) ]
Mediaeval city churches 42 [ St Mary
Coslany: Intersection of Nave and Transept roof (great cross ribs and central boss of rayed figure of the Virgin), Arch-braced Chancel roof (panelled out with tracery which is gilded on the bay over the Altar), Tablet ]
The oldest mural tablet in the City, on the interior west wall to the north of the Tower arch, records in Norman-French that Thomas de Lingcole, a Bailiff of the City who died in 1298 made gifts of a wax taper and a lamp to the Altar of the Holy Trinity.
Mediaeval city churches 43 [ St Mary
Coslany: Mural tablet to Clement Hyrne (d. 23 September 1596), Pulpit (15c. with hour glass and stand), 6 Bells of St Mary’s (lying outside the church of St Catherine’s Mile Cross to which they had been sold - June 1937 - two bear the inscription “John Brend made me 1640” and bear the Norwich foundry mark of Brasyer) ]
St Mary’s Plain: St Mary Coslany
St Mary the Less Church:
Mediaeval city churches 44 [ St Mary
the Less: Interior ]
Mediaeval city churches 45 [ St Mary the Less: Piscina and windowsill Sedilia (south side of Chancel), Interior, Mural tablet to Paul Colombine (son of French refugee - d. 30th August 1784), Piscina (adjoining Chancel arch on south side of Nave) ]
This church became redundant at the Reformation when it was used as a Cloth Hall. In 1637 it was leased to the French or Walloon congregation. The French congregation becoming extinct by about 1810, the church was later used by the Catholic Apostolic body.
Queen Street: St Mary-the-Less
St Michael Coslany Church:
Mediaeval city churches 46 [ St Michael
Coslany (mostly Perpendicular): West door (15c. with traceried and carved panel and traceried jamb mould) ]
Mediaeval city churches 47 [ St Michael
Coslany (the Nave was rebuilt by John and Stephen Staton who were Sheriffs in 1511 and 1512 during which period the rebuilding was completed): Entrance from Nave into Tower (with carved wooden figures above cornice), North Aisle Arcade (early 16c.), Altar Tomb to William Ramsey (Mayor 1502 and 1508 - he built the north Aisle with its Chantry Chapel dedicated to Saint John the Baptist in which he lies buried), South Aisle Arcade (begun by Alderman Gregory Clark and finished by his son who was Mayor in 1514) ]
At the east end of the south Aisle is the Thorpe Chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was founded and endowed by Robert Thorpe in the reign of Henry VII. Its exterior has the finest example in the country of flint and stone panelling, known as flush work. The Chancel was refaced as a copy of this in 1883.
St Michael at Pleas Church:
Mediaeval city churches 48 [ St Michael
at Pleas (Perpendicular): Tower, South Porch (stooled and canopied Niches flank the entrance with another above - carved in the Spandrels of the entrance are St Michael & Dragon), Font (15c. Font - 17c. Cover) ]
St Michael at Thorn Church:
Mediaeval city churches 49 [ St Michael at Thorn: Tower (original built in 1436 collapsed 3rd November 1886 but rebuilt in 1887 - survived air-raids in 1942 but demolished ten years later), Interior (modern oak Rood Screen surmounted by a St Michael’s cross), South doorway (Norman since re-erected in nearby St Julian’s church) ]
Ber Street: St Michael-at-Thorn
St Paul’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 50 [ St Paul’s: Tower (Norman circular), Apse (added 1870), Interior ]
Mediaeval city churches 51 [ St Paul’s: Parclose Screen (east end of north Aisle - above doorway facing north St George’s Arms and a Cross Fleure), Parclose Screen doorway (shields with initials of Christopher Lestrange d.1445 and Elizabeth Drury - the donors),
Tower arch Screen (originally forming the western arm of the Parclose Screen), North Aisle (easternmost pier pierced with a narrow arch), Apsidal Chancel, Font (15c. octagonal), ]
This church was originally attached to a hospital (known as Norman’s Spital after a monk of that name who was an early master here). The hospital buildings stood to the south. At the Dissolution they were converted into a Bridewell which survived until 1785. After the church was gutted by fire in an air raid in 1942, the remains were totally demolished. The Inner Link Road now runs across part of the site, the churchyard being converted into a playground.
St Peter Hungate Church:
Mediaeval city churches 52 [ St Peter
Hungate: North doorway (15c. with fine Perpendicular tracery), East window (15th and 16th c. glass) ]
Mediaeval city churches 53 [ St Peter
Hungate: Font (early 15c. with traceried bowl and shaft, the bowl having top and bottom battlemented mould), Squint (northerly one of a pair or Hagioscopes from Nave into side Chapels), Nave and Transept roof intersection (great cross ribs and large wooden boss), Monument to Matthew Goss (d. 1779) - in 1757 he presented to the City the Mayor’s Chain with medal - he was himself never Mayor) ]
The present building, a cruciform structure, was built by John Paston and Margaret his wife (the patrons of the benefice) and was finished in 1460. This church, long disused, was converted into an Ecclesiastical museum in 1932.
St Peter Mancroft Church:
Mediaeval city churches 54 [ St Peter
Mancroft Map ]
“A tower, N. and S. porches, nave, N. and S. aisles, N. and S. transepts, chancel aisles and Treasury.....Entirely rebuilt and finished in 1455, it stretches between two thoroughfares, and therefore has arches on the S. and N. of tower and a passage under the E. end so that processions around the building could be on consecrated ground.....The tower is very fine with rectangular buttresses, niched and canopied in all stages....The buttresses merge at the top with crocketted octagonal turrets....The West front has deeply recessed jambs to doorway with two rows of ornaments, one with shields in traceried panels and one with quatrefoils....A great W. window with the emblems of S. Peter and S. Paul in the spandrils. The tower is crowned with a modern fleche after the style of that at East Harling. At the E. end of the chancel are fine octagonal turrets, the drums pierced and traceried and with crocketted tops. The magnificent clerestory of seventeen large three-light windows, has very narrow piers between them with little buttresses outside. The interior is most impressive. At the W. end is a nobly moulded and lofty tower arch, with ringers gallery below it. The nave and chancel are continuous, and have the fine feature of the aisles stopping one bay short of the E. end to admit windows N. and S. to light the altar. The loft arcades on clustered columns have canopied niches above the piers, supporting a short shaft capped with large angels from which spring the wall-posts. The lovely roof is similar to those at Ringland and Framlingham (Suff.) but is finer than any of them. It is a hammer-beam and arch-braced roof, but the hammer-beams are concealed by fine vaulting....The font was undoubtedly a Seven Sacrament one though the panels are completely obliterated.....It stands on two traceried steps and has a remarkable 15c. canopy 5'6" square like Trunch. The 10" carved posts at the corners are all that remain of the original canopy, the top being a poor restoration. Space will not permit me to describe the wonderful glass of the E. window which has 42 panels (7 modern) but I think the most interesting panel is the Annunciation....Behind the Sanctuary is “The Treasury” so called, which is a three-storey structure, containing the Sacristy on the top floor, below the vestment chamber,...and below that a crypt.....The Sacristy is full of interesting things....not least the magnificent church plate.” from “Norfolk Churches” by H.Munro Cautley F.S.A. A.R.I.B.A. 1949.
Mediaeval city churches 55 [ St Peter
Mancroft: Tower (about 100 feet - the lead Fleche and Angle Turrets added 1883 - architect George E.Street) ]
Mediaeval city churches 56 [ St Peter
Mancroft: Western doorway (and flush panelling around lower stages of Tower), Treasury (Vestment chamber and Crypt below), Font (19c. in north Transept), Altar-tomb of Judge Francis Windham (d.1592) ]
Mediaeval city churches 57 [ St Peter
Mancroft: Font (15th c with contemporary posts to otherwise modern canopy), North Transept (Chapel of St Nicholas) ]
St Peter Parmentergate Church:
Mediaeval city churches 58 [ St Peter
Parmentergate (probably wholly rebuilt late 15c.): South Porch (Parvise of which is converted to a chapel dedicated to St Anthony), West doorway to Tower (carved shields and spandrels) ]
Mediaeval city churches 59 [ St Peter
Parmentergate: Font (15c. East Anglian type) Oak Reredos (erected by Rev W.Hudson vicar 1873-93 in memory of his wife), Altar Tomb (to R.Berney esq and his wife 1623) ]
St Peter at Southgate Church:
Mediaeval city churches 60 [ St Peter
at Southgate ]
This church was used for services until a few years before its demolition in 1887. It consisted of a nave, chancel, north chapel, south porch and a square west tower in which were three bells. Anciently known as St Peter de Bither, it was founded before 1217 but appears to have been rebuilt during the late Perpendicular period. All that now remains is the lower part of the tower with a brick Tudor arch.
St Saviour’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 61 [ St
Saviour’s: Tower (originally much taller it was reduced to its present height in the mid 19c.), South side (14c. and 15c.), Font (14c. with traceried and slightly battered bowl - the columns of the shaft spring from beasts), Monument to John Baseley (Mayor 1791) flanked by Sword and Mace Rests ]
St Simon and St Jude Church:
Mediaeval city churches 62 [ St Simon and St Jude (15c. long disused was converted into a headquarters for disabled scouts in 1953): Interior, Font (15c.) ]
Mediaeval city churches 63 [ St Simon
and St Jude: Sir John and Sir Augustine Pettus monument (1613), Sir Thomas Pettus monument (1597), Vestry door (south side of chancel having St Simon in one spandrel and three fishes in the other) ]
Wensum Street: Ss Simon and Jude
St Stephen’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 64 [ St
Stephen’s (mostly 16c. said to have been finished in 1550 after the Reformation): Tower (with date 1601 referring to a restoration - the base or Porch is 14c.), East window (15c., 16c. and 17c. glass), Arcades (four-centred) and hammer-beam roof) ]
St Swithin’s Church:
Mediaeval city churches 65 [ St
Swithin’s: Misericords, North arcading (fluted columns and pointed arches), South arcading (classical style with round arches), Font (15c. carved with emblems of the Trinity and the Arms of East Anglia), Arch-braced collar-beam roof ]
Becoming unsafe, the tower was taken down in 1881. The three bells were then transferred to St Margaret’s church.
St Benedict’s Street: St Swithin’s
Simon Knott's Norfolk Churches
Text and photographs Copyright © G.A.F.Plunkett 2002
