Record Details
| NHER Number: | 7472 |
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| Type of record: | Building |
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| Name: | SS Michael and All Angels' Church, Booton |
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Summary
A 19th century church, which is an entire rebuild of an earlier medieval church (which it partly encloses). A 13th century figurine of St John was found in the churchyard. The rebuilding took place between 1876 and 1900. It was planned and overseen by the incumbent rector, Reverend Elwin, a descendant of Pocahontas, who had no qualifications in architecture but great enthusiasm. Edwin Lutyens described the church as 'very naughty but built in the right spirit'.
The current church is in an eccentric French Gothic style, with slender twin west towers, nave chancel, north porch and south chapel. The nave is very large, with huge wooden angel figures holding up the roof. In the north porch stands a medieval headless statue, which was discovered when the old church was demolished.
Images
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 1229 2238 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG12SW |
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| Parish: | BOOTON, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
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Full description
1984.
Remarkable and unique Victorian church of 1875-91 on site of 13th - 15th century church of which some fragments including large statue remain.
Finds from yard.
Context 2: medieval seal matrix.
Context 3: 12th to 13th century figurine (S10).
See report (S1) and press cuttings (S3), (S4), (S5) and (S6) in file.
E. Rose (NAU) 31 October 1984.
See copy of church guide in file.
D. Gurney, (NAU) 28 October 1984.
Church, churchyard wall , church shelter, all listed (S7).
E. Rose (NLA), 21 December 2004.
The church is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust (2006).
This is one of the sixty five Norfolk churches selected for (S8).
D. Gurney (NLA), 17 February 2006.
A remarkable 19th century church, which is an entire rebuild of an earlier medieval church (which it partly encloses). A 13th century figurine of St John was found in the churchyard. The rebuilding took place between 1876 and 1900. It was planned and overseen by the incumbent rector, Reverend Elwin, a descendant of Pocahontas, who had no qualifications in architecture but great enthusiasm. Edwin Lutyens described the church as 'very naughty but built in the right spirit'.
The current church is in an eccentric French Gothic style, with slender twin west towers, nave chancel, north porch and south chapel. The nave is very large, with gigantic wooden angel figures holding up the roof. In the north porch stands a medieval headless statue, which was discovered when the old church was demolished.
P. Aldridge (NLA), 4 August 2005.
Press cutting (S9) in file.
P. Aldridge (NLA), 12 November 2007.
Monument Types
- CHURCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- CHURCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- CHURCH (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Finds
- BOOK FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- BOX (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- CRUCIFIX (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- SEAL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- FIGURINE (Medieval - 1100 AD to 1299 AD)
Protected Status
- Listed Building
- Listed Building
- Listed Building
Sources and further reading
| --- | Aerial Photograph: TG1222 G,H. |
| --- | Publication: Barnes, A.. 1993. Church of St. Michael the Archangel, Booton, Norfolk. |
| --- | Documentary Source: Martin, T. c. 1700-1799. Collections of Church Notes. Norfolk Records Office. 1730s. |
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 409; Pl 101. |
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. Unique to Norfolk. 16 March. |
| --- | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. The road to nowhere. 20 July. |
| --- | Leaflet: Notes on St Michael's Church, Booton, Norfolk.. |
| --- | Photograph: Booton Church. Print. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| --- | Photograph: CQF figurine. |
| --- | Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service. |
| <S1> | Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 1977. Building Report.. Building Report. |
| <S2> | Monograph: Bryant, T. H. 1905. Hundred of South Erpingham. The Churches of Norfolk. Vol XIV. pp 106-116. |
| <S3> | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1982. Small village set to raise big sum for saving church. 9 November. |
| <S4> | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1993. [Photographs of SS Michael and All Angels' Church]. |
| <S5> | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1985. Village treasure trail. 23 September. |
| <S6> | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1989. New lease of life for old church. 11 January. |
| <S7> | Designation: English Heritage. National Heritage List for England. List Entries 1076894, 1342776 and 1342777. |
| <S8> | Publication: Jenkins, S. 2000. England's Thousand Best Churches. |
| <S9> | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2007. A place in history; 84: Booton Church. 10 November. |
| <S10> | Illustration: Unknown. 1984. Drawing of a medieval copper alloy figurine.. Card. 2:1. |
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