Record Details

NHER Number:10334
Type of record:Building
Name:St John the Baptist's Church, Hellington

Summary

This isolated church stands on a hill and is architecturally one of the most interesting in the area. Much money was lavished on it by the Kerdiston family in the 14th century, and although the building underwent alteration and addition in the 17th and 19th centuries, a lot of the work from this period remains. The church consists of a round west tower, nave, chancel and a very unusual south porch. The tower probably has Norman origins, but the decorated north and south doors are definitely Norman (as is the tower arch), and are extremely fine examples. The rest of the church is fairly elaborate 14th century work, including the front of the south porch, but perhaps not its sides (see below). The bell openings are also 14th century, and the tower itself may have been rebuilt at this time. The south porch east and west walls each have three large open niches, somewhat out of proportion to everything else, and it has been suggested they were removed from somewhere else and inserted there in the 19th century. The church is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust, and was renovated in the 1990s.

Images

  • St John the Baptist's Church, Hellington  © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service

Location

Grid Reference:TG 3134 0305
Map Sheet:TG30SW
Parish:HELLINGTON, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Round towered church with fine Norman doorways and tower arch. All other detail very elaborate early 14th century including porch. Strange heightening of nave apparently in 17th century. Tower bell openings 14th century and suggestions that tower may have been rebuilt then.
Extremely poor condition 1989.
See report (S1) and photographs (S2) in file.
Listed Grade I (S3). Architect's plan (S4), press cuttings (S5), Council for the Care of Churches report (S8) and comments thereon (S9) in file.
E. Rose (NAU), 21 March 1989.

July 2005.
Examination of repairs to floor.
See addendum to report (S10) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 6 August 2005.

The church is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust (2006).

Monument Types

  • CHURCH (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • COIN (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
  • DOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PISCINA (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • Xbell frame (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WINDOW (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: TG3103 D-E.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Website: Knott, S.. 2005. St John the Baptist, Hellington. http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/hellington/hellington.htm. 25 June 2010.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, W. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 394.
---Leaflet: Stedman, M. et al. 1978. Eleven Churches - A Guide to the Bramerton Group, Norfolk. Norwich Printing Services. pp 42-45.
---Photograph: Hellington Church. Print.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 1989. Building Report.. Building Report.
<S2>Photograph: CMC 33-36; EQJ 32-6.
<S3>Designation: English Heritage. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1169361.
<S4>Illustration: Various. Various. Architectural plans.
<S5>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1993-1994. [Articles on the restoration work at St John the Baptist's Church, Hellington].
<S8>Unpublished Document: Council for the Care of Churches Report.
<S9>Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. Comments on CCC Report.
<S10>Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 2005. Addendum to Building Report. Building Report.

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