Record Details

NHER Number:4976
Type of record:Building
Name:St Mary's Church, Cranwich

Summary

This isolated church consists of a round west tower, nave, chancel and south porch, in flint and limestone with some brick, and with a thatched roof. The round tower is very early, probably 11th century, and has sound holes with knotted tracery.The nave is from the same period, and the chancel dates to about 1300. The porch and north door are 14th century. The larger windows were replaced in the 15th century. Inside, there is a 14th century octagonal font, and a medieval altar slab used as flooring.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TL 7827 9487
Map Sheet:TL79SE
Parish:CRANWICH, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

June 1960. Listed, Grade I.
Listing Description:
Parish church. Medieval and later. Flint with ashlar and some brick dressings. Rendered porch and north wall. Thatched roofs. Circular west tower; aisleless nave with south porch; chancel. Llth century west tower with a circular monolithic ground floor west window, a similar arched first floor window and 4 monolithic openings above with interlace patterns to north, south and west, probably representing original bell stage. Present bell stage with 4 undressed roughly arched openings and a late-Medieval crenellated parapet with 3 gargoyles. South wall of nave with one 14th century cusped lancet window and 2 late-Medieval windows with flat heads of 2 and 3 cusped lights. Late-Medieval porch with arched entrance and cusped 2-light side windows. Late 12th century doorway with chamfered semicircular arch on simple imposts supporting a hood mould with dogtooth decoration. North wall of nave with hollow chamfered doorway of 2 orders and 2 15th century 2-light panel traceried windows. 14th century chancel with 4 2-light Y-traceried windows to north and south and a 3-light Y-traceried east window. Interior. Reduced tower arch with modern doorway inserted. No chancel arch. 14th century piscina in chancel with deeply moulded arch on a pair of engaged colonnetts with bell capitals. Nave with moulded wall plates and arched braces probably of Medieval date, largely obscured by ceiling. Plain 14th century octagonal font. Medieval altar slab used as flooring to north-east side of chancel.
Information from (S1).

3 April 1987. Visit.
In circular churchyard, or almost so, but possibly due to natural causes. Round tower probably 11th century. Otherwise, about 1300 and 14th to 15th century. Good nave roof but hidden. (S1).
Report (S2), press cutting (S3) and photographs (S4) in file.
E. Rose (NAU), 4 April 1987.

March 2009.
Church awarded £59,000 for essential maintenance work
See (S5) in file
H. White (NLA), 4 March 2009

Monument Types

  • CHURCH (Late Saxon to 19th Century - 851 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • WINDOW (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • DOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: TL7894F-G (undated), Y, (26 April 1984).
---Publication: Cautley, H. M. 1949. Norfolk Churches. pp 5, 189.
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TL 79 SE 15 [2].
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Publication: Messent, C. J. W. 1936. The Parish Churches of Norfolk & Norwich. p 65.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, W. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 273.
---Publication: Taylor, H. M. and Taylor, J. 1965. Anglo-Saxon Architecture.
---Leaflet: Birdsall, N.. 1975. St Mary's Church, Cranwich.
---Publication: Whittington. [unknown].
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Late Saxon. Cranwich.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Designation: English Heritage. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1305340.
<S2>Unpublished Document: E. Rose. 1987. Building Report.. Building Report. 3 April.
<S3>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1977. Work starts on church tower. 24 October.
<S4>Photograph: Various.
<S5>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2009. Historic churches awarded millions of pounds for essential maintenance work. 4 March.

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