Record Details

NHER Number:557
Type of record:Building
Name:St Clement's Church, Colegate, Norwich

Summary

The Church of St Clement dates largely to the 15th and 16th centuries, although the current nave replaces an earlier and narrower one, the corner stones of which are still visible in the west wall. This small church has no porch or aisles, but is very similar in appearance to many of the Norfolk parish churches, with a nave, tower and chancel of flint with stone dressings. However, it is said to have been one of the first to be built north of the river, perhaps in the last decades before the Conquest, although no material from this period has been noted.

Inside, a good sized brass memorial can be seen on the floor of the nave, dedicated to Margaret Petwoode and dated 1514. There is even a legend that says the lady has been seen attending weddings held in this church. There are also a number of memorials to the Wood family, Mayor in the 16th century and probably responsible for the original construction of the King of Hearts building, just across the road.

The 19th century saw this part of Norwich, which had been occupied since the Late Saxon period, overtaken by industry and poor quality housing. As a result the church became abandoned, until it was declared redundant in the 1960s. The church was taken in hand by the Norwich Historic Churches Trust, and leased to a local Methodist minister who has made it his life's work to keep this little church open and available for private prayer every day.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 23178 09045
Map Sheet:TG20NW
Parish:NORWICH, NORWICH, NORFOLK

Full description

Colegate 'at Fybridge' St Clement The Martyr.
R. R. Clarke (NCM).
Scandinavian dedication.

1954. Listed Grade I.
Listing Description Excerpt:
"Former parish church, now redundant and used as a private chapel. 15th and 16th century. Flint with stone and brick dressings. Slate roofs. West tower. Nave and chancel. 19th-century vestry north of chancel. Slender three-stage tower of c. 1450 with diagonal buttresses and stair turret on north-east corner."
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current details.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 December 2017. Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 8 November 2019.

1970s or 1980s. Building Survey.
Examined as part of Norwich Survey.
See draft report (S2) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 December 2017.

March 1973. Building Survey.
Church assessed by Council for Places of Worship ahead of proposed closure.
See report (S3) for further details including lists of furnishings, fittings and monuments.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 December 2017.

B. S. Ayers (NAU) notes an unconfirmed story that after a fire in 1995 in the tower, two round windows were seen and covered up again.
For details of fire see press cutting (S4).
Compiled by E. Rose (NLA), 10 November 1999.

See also pamphlet (S5).
T. Sunley (NLA) 6 November 2007.

Monument Types

  • CHURCH (Medieval to 21st Century - 1066 AD? to 2100 AD)

Associated Finds

  • WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BRASS (16th Century to 21st Century - 1514 AD to 2050 AD)

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Article in Serial: Boileau, J. P. 1864. Returns of Church Goods in the Churches of the City of Norwich, 6 Edward VI. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol VI pp 360-378. p 376.
---Monograph: Batcock, N. 1991. The Ruined and Disused Churches of Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 51. Microfiche 5:G12. No N9; p 175.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 233.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. The vanishing colours of our 'Rainbow Alley'. 22 September.
---Leaflet: Norwich Historic Churches Trust & HEART. [unknown]. St Clements, Colegate..
---Article in Serial: Enfield, W. 1849. Engraving of an Ancient Door in St Clement's, Norwich. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol II pp 73-74.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Norwich - Post Roman.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Slide: Various. Slide.
---Correspondence: Rose, E. and Lemon, D.G.. 1999. Letters between E. Rose (NLA) and D. G. Lemon of Feilden and Mawson architects regarding repairs to the tower of St Clement's Church, Norwich.. 17 November and 23 December.
---Illustration: Ottoway, J. 1978. Plan of St Clement's Church, Norwich. 1:100.
---Illustration: Stannard, J. [unknown]. Drawing of exterior of St Clement's Church, Norwich. Pencil and wash on paper.
---Illustration: Sillett, J. [unknown]. Drawing of exterior of St Clement's Church, Norwich. Pencil and grey wash on paper.
---Photograph: Norwich Survey Staff. 1984. Photographs of the interior of St Clement's Church, Norwich.
---Photograph: [Unknown]. [unknown]. Photographs of the exterior of St Clement's Church, Norwich.
---Photograph: [Unknown]. [unknown]. Photographs of the interior of St Clement's Church, Norwich.
<S1>Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1051282.
<S2>Unpublished Report: [Unknown]. 1983. St Clement Fybridge, Norwich [draft report].
<S3>Unpublished Report: Council for Places of Worship. 1973. Norwich, St. Clement.
<S4>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1991. [Articles on the fire at St Clement's Church in 1991].
<S5>Leaflet: Norwich Historic Churches Trust. [unknown]. St Clement's Church.

Related records

Site 2129Parent of: Church of St Clement (Monument)
Site 1606Parent of: Church of St Clement, Colegate (Monument)
Mon 502Parent of: St Clement's Church (Monument)
Mon 1443Parent of: St Clement's Churchyard (Monument)

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