Record Details

NHER Number:2210
Type of record:Building
Name:St Mary's Church, West Walton

Summary

This large church has a grand detached bell tower and it and the church date to around 1240 but before the advent of tracery. The church is one of the best early C13 churches in the British Isles with all the attributes of a Lincoln Cathedral inspired style. Arcades with en delit shafts, water-holding bases, stiff leaf caps and busy mouldings to arches. Some late medieval alterations but retains a very good original clerestory with series of lancets exreseed as arcading to the exterior. The church also contains original wallpaintings and the extended churchyard contains the remnants of medieval ridge and furrow as well as the bases of two medieval crosses (see NHER 13395).

Images

  • St Mary's Church, West Walton.  © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service
  • The bell tower of St Mary's Church, West Walton.  © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service

Location

Grid Reference:TF 4711 1336
Map Sheet:TF41SE
Parish:WEST WALTON, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Large church with grand detached bell tower reusing Norman remnants. Some 14th century work. Much altered in 15th century and perhaps also of about 1600. Contains original wall paintings. Extended churchyard includes ridge and furrow. Two crosses in yard (see NHER 13395).

1953.
Roman pottery found in churchyard.
See report, old prints and photocopies in file.
E. Rose (NLA) 20 August 1992.

October 1992. Excavation.
Small excavation of nave arcade pier footing, prior to underpinning work.
See short report (S3) for further details.
E. Rose (NLA) 17 September 1992.

Appropriate section from (S1) in file.

This is one of the sixty five Norfolk churches selected for (S2).
D. Gurney (NLA) 17 February 2006.

Historic building report.
S. Heywood suggests that the parish church is of mid-13th century date.
See (S3) for further information.
S. Howard (NLA), 16 June 2010.

Monument Types

  • FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BELL TOWER (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • CHAPEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • CHURCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • CROSS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • INHUMATION (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • RIDGE AND FURROW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • COFFIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • DOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FONT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PISCINA (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WALL PAINTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • Xbell frame (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WALL PAINTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WINDOW (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Photograph: GMT, FWD 1-8, FWA.
---Aerial Photograph: TF 4713A, B, K, N,.
---Article in Serial: August 1936. [unknown]. Sussex Notes and Queries. Vol VI, no 2, p 82. p 82.
---Monograph: Bryant, T. H. 1902. Hundred of Freebridge Marshland. The Churches of Norfolk. Vol X. pp 102-113.
---Photograph: Rose, E.. 2001. JZR 32-36.
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 41 SE 12.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Monograph: Lithgow & Perry in Taylor, J. M.. 2005. The wallpaintings of West Walton in Historic Churches.. 9-10.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2009. Twelve churches are picture perfect. 3 April.
---Unpublished Document: Heywood, S. Historic building report for St Mary's Church and Bell Tower, West Walton, Norfolk.. Building Report.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, W. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 771-773; Pl 19, Pl 20, Pl 21.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N. 1962. North-West and South Norfolk. The Buildings of England. 1st Edition. pp 379-380; Pl 7, Pl 20b, Pl 21a.
---Article in Serial: R. Lithgow and M. Perry. 2005. The Wall Paintings of West Walton. Historic Churches. 12,pp9-10.
---Monograph: Hart, S.. 2010. Medieval Church Window Tracery in England. pp 22, 31, 46.
---Article in Serial: [unknown]. Sussex Notes and Queries. Vol VI, no 1, p 2. p 2.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Slide: Various. Slide.
---Fiche: Exists.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2013. Care and attention for a historic church in the Sixties. 17 May.
---Unpublished Document: Feilden & Mawson. 1990. Parish Church of St Mary, West Walton, Norfolk. Specification for Repairs 1990.
---Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1998. Highway to happiness. 28 July.
---Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1997-1998. [Articles on the fund raising for restoration work at St Mary's Church, West Walton].
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1988. Church tower striking landmark in village. 23 April.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1990. [Photograph of the tower at St Mary's Church, West Walton]. 1 August.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1991. A frustrating crusade. 2 August.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>Monograph: Batcock, N. 1991. The Ruined and Disused Churches of Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 51. Microfiche 5:G12. No 108; p 52.
<S2>Publication: Jenkins, S. 2000. England's Thousand Best Churches.
<S3>Unpublished Contractor Report: Whitmore, D. 1992. West Walton Church - Watching Brief. Norfolk Archaeological Unit.

Related records

25630Related to: Medieval masonry at Rose Cottage, Church End (Find Spot)
13395Related to: Two medieval cross bases (Monument)

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