Record Details

NHER Number:5556
Type of record:Building
Name:St Faith's Church, Gaywood

Summary

The church has its origins in the Norman period but was substantially rebuilt in the 14th century. In the 1920s the nave was rebuilt, the aisles were added and the north porch was rebuilt incorporating a Norman arch. The church contains an early font and two 17th century painted panels. These panels were bequeathed by the rector, Thomas Hare, who died in 1634. One of the panels depicts Queen Elizabeth's arrival at Tilbury, with the Spanish Armada in the background and the other depicts the discovery of the gunpowder plot.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 6361 2039
Map Sheet:TF62SW
Parish:GAYWOOD, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK
KING’S LYNN, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Not yet visited.
(S1) describes this church as having transepts, north porch, all thatched, square brick tower.
E. Rose (NAU), 1980.

The aisles were added in the early 20th century and nave windows were reset in them; these windows are supposed to be 16th century but the northern pair are clearly 19th century copies.
Was the north wall at one time blank, as found in other churches in northwest Norfolk?
E.M. James (KLM), 6 June 1985.

1987. Faculty.
Faculty granted to move a bell from Illington church to here.
This is a bell cast by Draper in 1577, see NHER 5994 for details.
E. Rose (NAU), 30 March 1987.

The aisles are of 1926. The chancel was extended and the side chapels added about 1910. When the nave walls were pierced to make the aisles they collapsed and had to be rebuilt from the transepts to the tower; the external walls were faced in reused bricks. There are unconfirmed reports of 'old foundations' beyond the south nave wall found at this time. The tower is basically 14th century despite Pevsner's dating of it to the 17th century.
E. Rose (NAU), 31 October 1988 from E.M. James (KLM).

(S2) states the font is one of a group made by Edward Goverstone of Lynn in the 17th century. This contradicts the List Entry (S3).
E. Rose (NLA), 22 April 2003.

1993. Listing revised. Grade II*. First listed 1951.
Parish church. Norman origins, west tower dates from around 1370, when remainder rebuilt, transepts reworked in the late 16th century. Chancel re-roofed in 1909, transepts restored, vestry and south chancel chapel added, by W.D Caröe. 1923-26 nave rebuilt and aisles added. South-west nave chapel 1989. Brick with ashlar dressings. Plain tiled roofs. Three-stage west tower, with diagonal stepped buttresses. Y-tracery west window. Slit lights to ringing chamber and cusped two-light belfry windows. Crenellated parapet. Stair turret to south east. North porch rebuilt in stone 1923-26 re-using Norman arch. One order of shafts with scalloped capitals. Inner arch with incised beakhead decoration, outer with chevron. Nailhead in hood mould. Inner doorway with double wave mouldings. Two three-light panel tracery aisle windows. Gabled aisle roofs. Gabled transepts now engaged by aisles, with kneelers and two-light Y-tracery north and south windows, the latter cusped and 14th century. North chancel with large vestry. South chancel with 1909 red-brick chapel terminating to east in a concave gable above a round-headed window with square hood. Remainder of chancel rendered. Two-light cusped 14th century Y-tracery south window. Three-light reticulated east window, also cusped.
Interior: four-bay arcade of 1923-26: lozenge piers and four-centred arches. Barrel-vaulted timber nave roof. Chancel roof with arched braces to collars, 1909. West tower arch triple chamfered. Octagonal late 14th century font, the stem with two-light cinquefoiled tracery to each facet. Mouldings lead up to bowl with alternating facets of encircled tracery and 17th century inscriptions. Two 17th century painted panels in south aisle: one of Queen Elizabeth arriving in Tilbury with the Spanish Armada in the background experiencing difficulties at the hands of the English, the other of the discovery of the Gunpowder plot. Bequeathed by the rector, Thomas Hare, who died in 1634.
See (S3).
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 5 July 2019.

See also newspaper cuttings (S4) and (S5).

Monument Types

  • CHURCH (Medieval to 21st Century - 1066 AD to 2100 AD)
  • ANGLICAN CHURCH (Post Medieval to 21st Century - 1540 AD to 2100 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, W. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 354-355.
---Leaflet: 1984. The Parish Church of St Faith, Gaywood..
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Documentary Source: Martin, T. c. 1700-1799. Collections of Church Notes. Norfolk Records Office. 1740.
<S2>Unpublished Document: James, E.M.. 1980s. University Dissertation.
<S3>Designation: English Heritage. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1195311.
<S4>Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1997. Boys under 10 vandalise church. 13 May.
<S5>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1988. Armada painting in show. 22 April.

Related records - none

Find out more...

Norfolk County Council logo Heritage Lottery Fund logo

Powered by HBSMR-web and the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd, and mojoPortal CMS
© 2007 - 2024 Norfolk Historic Environment Service