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Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	2979
Type of record:	Building
Name:	St Andrew's Church, Hingham

Summary

A big church, more than fifty metres long, with a huge west tower that is a landmark for miles around. It is a notable building in that it is virtually all of one construction, having been built in the later years of Remigius of Hethersett, rector here from 1319 to 1359. New windows, a clerestory to the nave and a vestry were added in the 15th century. Alterations followed in the 17th century and the Victorians carried out an extensive restoration in the late 19th century, most of the interior dating from that time. The tower is very imposing, having large windows at three levels on its west face over a decorated doorway. Indeed the windows throughout the church are of great size, particularly the enormous east window, one of the biggest in England. This is entirely filled with early 16th century glass imported from Germany, bought by Lord Wodehouse in 1813.
The interior of the church is striking, the soaring nave being crowned by a very good hammerbeam roof of 1872, and those of the aisles with winged angels. Probably the most impressive feature is the huge 15th century red stone memorial to Thomas, Lord Morley and his wife, on the north wall of the chancel, and reaching its full height. Some think the memorial is reminiscent of the Erpingham Gate at Norwich Cathedral. The most famous person commemorated in the church is Abraham Lincoln, whose bust was placed in an alcove in the north aisle in 1919. He himself was not from the village, but some of his ancestors lived there before emigrating two hundred years before his presidency.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:	TG 0217 0212
Map Sheet:	TG00SW
Parish:	HINGHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

November 1959. Listed Grade II.
Listing Description excerpt:
"Parish Church. Built 1319-59. A fine large Decorated church. Flint with stone dressings and slate roofs. Comprising:- nave with clerestorey, north and south aisles, chancel, two-storey north east vestry, south porch and west tower. The large west tower in five storeys has set-back buttresses, embattled parapet, corner turret, patterned frieze at base and over west doorway, and Decorated windows and eleven openings. Ballflower friezes below eaves of aisles and nave. Long chancel with much altered east window containing German glass of circa 1500. Decorated chancel and aisle windows. Perpendicular clerestorey windows.
Interior: tall arcades of six bays, hammerbeam roof. Thomas Lord Morley tomb is an extremely fine 15th-century wall monument."
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
P. Watkins (HES), 20 February 2022.

An apse is stated to have been found; otherwise church almost all of 1319 to 1359, with the addition of windows and a clerestory and vestry in 15th century, alterations in mid 17th and late 19th centuries.
Important tomb of 1466 and good set of later memorials.
Various important furnishings such as Charles II bushel measure.
See report (S2), photographs (S3) old prints and newspaper cuttings (S4-S6) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 13 April 1992.

Churchyard graded by Norfolk Historic Gardens Survey as two star (of regional importance).
See survey for details.

This is one of the sixty five Norfolk churches selected for (S7).
D. Gurney (NLA), 17 February 2006.

A big church, more than fifty metres long, with a huge west tower that is a landmark for miles around. It is a notable building in that it is virtually all of one construction, having been built in the later years of Remigius of Hethersett, rector here from 1319 to 1359. New windows, a clerestory to the nave and a vestry were added in the 15th century. Alterations followed in the 17th century and the Victorians carried out an enthusiastic restoration in the late 19th century, most of the interior being from that time. The tower is very imposing, having large windows at three levels on its west face over a decorated doorway. Indeed the windows throughout the church are of great size, particularly the enormous east window, one of the biggest in England. This is entirely filled with early 16th century glass imported from Germany, bought by Lord Wodehouse in 1813.
The interior of the church is striking, the soaring nave being crowned by a very good hammerbeam roof of 1872, and those of the aisles with winged angels. Probably the most impressive feature is the huge 15th century red stone memorial to Thomas, Lord Morley and his wife, on the north wall of the chancel, and reaching its full height. Some think the memorial is reminiscent of the Erpingham Gate at Norwich Cathedral.
The most famous person commemorated in the church is Abraham Lincoln, whose bust was placed in an alcove in the north aisle in 1919. He himself was not from the village, but some of his ancestors lived there before emigrating two hundred years before his presidency.
P. Aldridge (NLA), 2 March 2006.

Monument Types

PIT (Unknown date)
CHURCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
CHURCH (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

COFFIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
DOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FLOOR TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
PISCINA (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FONT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
VESSEL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
WALL PAINTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---	Aerial Photograph: TG0202 A,B,C-H,J-M.
---	Article in Serial: Fawcett, R. 1980. A Group of Churches by the Architect of Great Walsingham. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXVII Pt III pp 292-294. p 277.
---	Monograph: Bryant, T. H. 1905. Hundred of Forehoe. The Churches of Norfolk. Vol XVII. pp 112-137.
---	Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1997. TG 0201B - D.
---	Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---	Website: Knott, S.. 2006. St Andrew, Hingham. http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/hingham/hingham.htm. 25 June 2010.
---	Monograph: Mortlock, D. and Roberts, C.. 1985. The Popular Guide To Norfolk Churches: No. 2. Norwich, Central and South Norfolk..
---	Publication: Brandon, R. and Brandon, J.A.. 1851. Parish Churches: being perspective views of English ecclesiastical structures: accompanied by plans drawn to a uniform scale, and letter-press descriptions.. Vol 1 pp 49-50.
---	Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 404-406; Pl 30.
---	Monograph: Pevsner, N. 1962. North-West and South Norfolk. The Buildings of England. 1st Edition. pp 196-197; Pl 42b, Pl 43.
---	Leaflet: Hingham Parish Church: Norfolk..
---	Monograph: Hart, S.. 2010. Medieval Church Window Tracery in England. pp 63-64.
---	Secondary File: Secondary File.
---	Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>	Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1051162.
<S2>	Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 1996. Building Report.. Building Report.
<S3>	Photograph: FWD 20-23.
<S4>	Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1982. Getting in time again. 15 February.
<S5>	Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1999. Church falls out with its Friends over fundraisers. 30 April.
<S6>	Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1999. You're all sacked, rector tells choir. 1 December.
<S7>	Publication: Jenkins, S. 2000. England's Thousand Best Churches.