Record Details

NHER Number:10756
Type of record:Building
Name:St Mary's Church, Aldeby

Summary

This Norman cruciform priory church was also used as a parish church. The unusual Norman nave has a fine Norman west doorway. The tower was rebuilt around 1300 and new windows and roofs were added in the 15th century. The building was ruined in 1514 and the building was restored in 1633, 1880 and 1912. The font dates to 1300 and the 15th century.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TM 4504 9331
Map Sheet:TM49SE
Parish:ALDEBY, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

March 1978. Visit.
Was appropriated to priory (NHER 10725). Basically of two periods, Norman and 13th to 14th century, restored in 17th and 19th centuries.
E. Rose (NAU) 2 March 1978.

2005. Detailed investigation.
Alters the above description. The church is indeed basically a cruciform Norman priory church also used as the parish church and retains a fine Norman west door and nave of unusual construction. The central tower and north transept were rebuilt around 1300 at which time new windows were inserted and there was a second building campaign in the 15th century producing further new windows and roofs; a south chapel may be of this period. However the building was in ruins in 1514 and in 1633 the central tower was rebuilt in brick, clad in flint and reusing the arches and openings of 1300, a most unusual exercise for the date; the chapel was also partly converted to a vestry. A restoration in 1880 removed some of the 15th century work and further rebuilding took place in 1912. The church contains an unusual font that may be of two periods, 1300 and 15th c; a number of 19th century memorials and a ghastly iron bellframe.
(S1) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 21 November 2005.
March 2009.
Church awarded £117,000 for essential maintenance work
see (S2) in file
H. White (NLA), 4 March 2009

Monument Types

  • CHURCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • CHURCH (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • DOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FONT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PISCINA (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE
  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: TM 4593A,B,AB,AL,AM-AP.
---Documentary Source: Martin, T. c. 1700-1799. Collections of Church Notes. Norfolk Records Office. c. 1740.
---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 177-178.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. A towering piece of Norman church architecture. 20 October.
---Photograph: ELD 16-18.
<S1>Unpublished Document: Rose, E. (NLA). 2005. Building Report.. Building Report.
<S2>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2009. Historic churches awarded millions of pounds for essential maintenance work. 4 March.

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