Record Details

NHER Number:573
Type of record:Building
Name:St John de Sepulchre's Church, Ber Street, Norwich

Summary

The main building of this parish church dates largely to the 15th and 16th century, and is made of flint with stone and brick dressings. The church itself has a domineering appearance, situated within plain sight of the Berestrete Gate of the old city walls, and it must have made a bold impact on visitors entering the city during the medieval period.

The church has a chancel, as well as north and south transept chapels, a south vestry and a north porch. This church is mentioned in the Domesday Book.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 23464 07762
Map Sheet:TG20NW
Parish:NORWICH, NORWICH, NORFOLK

Full description

Church of St John de Sepulchre, Ber Street.

Probably pre-1100 on architectural grounds. Mentioned Domesday Book of 1176.
Note from A. B. Whittingham 1963: Transepts are the surviving Late Saxon portion.
No Saxon work visible in interior.
R. R. Clarke (NCM).

1954. Listed Grade I.
Listing Description Excerpt:
"Parish Church. 15th and 16th century. Flint with stone and brick dressings. Lead roof to nave, pin tile to chancel. West tower, nave and chancel. North and south transept chapels. North porch. South vestry. Thee-stage tower with four-stages of diagonal buttressing and stair turret in south-east corner."
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current details.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 16 January 2018. 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), 16 January 2018.

July 1984. Building Survey.
Church assessed by the Council for the Care of Churches ahead of proposed closure.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 January 2018.

The bells were given to Erpingham church in 1987.
See file for further details.

Transepts more likely to be late Medieval - Late Saxon attributes are, in fact, Medieval brick over a pointed arch window. Is the Domesday book reference incorrect and, in fact, 1086?
K Hamilton (HES) and S Heywood (HES) 21 August 2012.

Monument Types

  • CHURCH (Late Saxon to 21st Century - 851 AD to 2100 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Publication: [Unknown]. [unknown]. Palimpsests Behind 'Norfolk' Brasses (N).
---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. pp 372-373.
---Article in Serial: Jope, E. M. 1952. Excavations in the City of Norwich, 1948. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXX pp 287-323. p 320.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1989. Bell has found a new home. 8 March.
---Monograph: Blomefield, F. 1806. The History of The City and County of Norwich, Part II. An Essay Towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk. Vol IV. pp 137-143.
---Publication: Cox, J. C. 1911. Country Churches: Norfolk. Vol II. p 180.
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 20 NW 201.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 239-240.
---Publication: Messent, C. J. W. 1932. The City Churches of Norwich. pp 42-43.
---Leaflet: Norwich Historic Churches Trust & HEART. St John de Sepulchre, Finkelgate..
---Publication: Taylor, H. M. and Taylor, J. 1965. Anglo-Saxon Architecture.
---Unpublished Document: Cattermole, P. 1985. Some Norwich Churches as seen in the Obedientiary Rolls of Norwich Cathedral Priory, 1276-1536.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Norwich - Post Roman.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Website: Knott, S.. 2006. St John Sepulchre, Norwich 'St John the Theologian'. http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/norwichjohnsepulchre/norwichjohnsepulchre.htm. 24 November 2006.
<S1>Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1280767.
<S2>Unpublished Report: [Unknown]. [unknown]. St John de Sepulchre [draft report]. Building Report.
<S3>Unpublished Report: Council for the Care of Churches. 1984. Norwich, St. John de Sepulchre, Norfolk (Norwich). Building Report.

Related records

Site 771Parent of: Ber Street-Finklegate (Monument)
Site 2073Parent of: Church of St John de Sepulchre, Ber Street (Monument)
Site 2075Parent of: Church of St John de Sepulchre, Ber Street (Monument)
Site 1252Parent of: Church of St. John de Sepulchre, Ber Street (Monument)
4Parent of: Skeletal remains, medieval pottery sherds (Find Spot)
Mon 738Parent of: St John de Sepulchre Church (Monument)
Mon 527Parent of: St John de Sepulchre Churchyard (Monument)
Mon 1441Parent of: St John De Sepulchre Early Church (Monument)

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