As part of our 50th anniversary celebrations we have been asking people what their favourite Norfolk church is and what our county’s church buildings mean to them. Here Scilla Landale tells us about her favourite church, St Peter’s Great Walsingham.
Scilla has been a member of our Advisory Council since 2017 and has run a number of fundraising events for the Trust including an evening supper boat trip to St Benet’s Abbey and an afternoon tour and tea at Ranworth church. She is also a Blue Badge Guide and runs Guided Tours of Walsingham.
She says –
To quote from Alec Clifton-Taylor’s book English Parish Churches as Works of Art which was published in 1974:
‘There is Great Walsingham in Norfolk. The Church stands in isolation, and one feels that time has passed it by, to its infinite advantage artistically, despite the fact that in the course of the centuries the chancel has fallen and all but gone. As it is entirely free from Victorian glass, the light floods in through its large windows with their exquisite tracery, to cast into bright relief the marvellous oak benches with their traceried backs and richly carved ends. The whole place is a delight.’
And so, it is today.
St. Peter’s is almost entirely a Decorated Church, built probably about 1330-1340, still with its original 14 quatrefoil clerestory windows. The south porch was added in the 15th century and on the north side, to mirror the design of the south porch, an enclosed Sacristy was built in 1860 by the Rev. John Lee Warner.
The windows with their delicate tracery of the Decorated Period have some beautiful medieval stained glass (1330-1360) in the upper lights for example: the Coronation of the Virgin Mary: The risen Christ displaying the Sacred Wounds: faces of 2 Apostles possibly St. Peter and St. Paul.
The Church is quite compact as it had ‘lost’ its Chancel before 1583. The floor joists which would have supported the Rood Screen are clearly visible as well as the notches in the stone arch above the east window upon which the great Crucifix would have been hung. The stairs leading up the Rood Screen are still intact.
The church has wonderfully carved 15th century poppy-head bench ends as well showing the Saints and the Virgin Mary with Christ on her lap, and foliage, there are animals: a chameleon, bear and the Royal Lion of England. The benches have deep sills which would have been filled with straw to keep the parishioners’ feet warm – we now have electric wall space heaters!
Near the altar the original 3-lock poor box is still extant.
T brasses set in the nave have interesting inscriptions:
Jane Golding (d. 1632): Sober, Meek, Patient, Modest, Constant Harted,
Here soule remains in blysse, in peace departed
Elizabeth Alee (d. 1641): Heaven hath her soule, this earth her earth,
Her love her husband keeps,
The ods twixt him and her is breth,
Which gon all flesh thus sleeps.
The Church has its original three bells, thought to be the oldest set of three in England, cast by William Silisden in the late 14th century. The bells are chimed.
St. Peter’s Church is extremely peaceful and well supported by the local community, averaging 20 parishioners’ every Sunday when Holy Communion is celebrated at 9.00am.
Thank you Scilla, if you would like to share your favourite church with us please do using our contact form.
