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Record Details

NHER Number:11005
Type of record:Building
Name:St Mary's Church, Diss

Summary

A medieval parish church, dating mainly to the early 14th century, with later alterations and extensions. The church is said to stand on the site of a Late Saxon or Norman church, although there is no surviving architectural evidence from this period.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TM 1172 8002
Map Sheet:TM18SW
Parish:DISS, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

December 1950. Listed, Grade I.
Listing Description:
Parish Church. Mainly 14th and 15th century. Roofs 15th century. Commandments Board
late 17th century. NMR photograph.
Information from (S1).
P. Watkins (HES), 13 March 2019.

The churchyard walls were separately listed Grade II in 1972 - these are now recorded as NHER 63161.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 March 2019.

Chancel said to stand on Saxo-Norman foundations.
Church basically of about 1300, extended and altered 14th/15th century, chancel altered 1857.
See report (S2).
E. Rose (NAU), 16 September 1983.

September 1773.
In making vault beneath church, at 1.5m deep, two urns of red earth full of black foetid earth, one holding 14 pints the other 15.
Stone coffin found.
Quoted by (S3) from (S4).
Could these be Bronze Age cinerary urns? Or Early Saxon burials?

May 1988. Excavation.
Excavations in advance of extension to church hall.
Medieval flint knapping waste, medieval and post medieval sherds, post medieval burials.
See (S1).
E. Rose (NLA), 23 May 1988.

Monument Types

  • CREMATION (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • CREMATION (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)
  • CHURCH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • CHURCH (Medieval to 21st Century - 1066 AD to 2100 AD)
  • LITHIC WORKING SITE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • INHUMATION (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Undated)
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Undated)
  • COFFIN (Undated)
  • HUMAN REMAINS (Undated)
  • NAIL (Undated)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
  • POT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • POT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
  • COFFIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • DOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FLOOR TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PISCINA (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PISCINA (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WALL PAINTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WINDOW GLASS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • CLAY PIPE (SMOKING) (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • DRINKING VESSEL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • ROOF TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WINDOW (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WINDOW GLASS (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Article in Serial: Manning, C. R. 1852. Particulars of the Ancient Pulpit at Diss, Norfolk. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol III pp 229-231.
---Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1955. TM 1180A.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2003. New cupola for church. 22 September.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1987. Sculptor has personal touch. 31 July.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1986. Church's guide. 15 September.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1986. Years take their toll. 20 August.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1983. Church is saved by fire call. 27 December.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1983. Diss bells to go for repairs. 10 September.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, W. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 299-300.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2011-2012. [Articles on the appeal to restor the windows at St Mary's Church, Diss].
---Leaflet: E. Pursehouse, G.G. Daniels. 1976. St Mary the Virgin, Diss. Robert Hall, Printer, Palgrave, Diss.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Photograph: CLQ 22-26 (belfry).
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
---Designation: English Heritage. 1990-2013. English Heritage Listing Notification. Notification. DNF8371.
<S1>Designation: English Heritage. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1049757.
<S2>Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 1983. Building Report.
<S3>Serial: Bryant, T. H.. 1898-1915. The Churches of Norfolk. Vols 1-19. Vols 1-19..
<S4>Article in Serial: [unknown]. Gentleman's Magazine.

Related records

63161Parent of: Churchyard walls of St Mary's Church (Monument)
63222Parent of: Wall east of Saracen's Head Inn (Monument)
63227Parent of: West boundary walls of 1 Church Street (Monument)

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