Record Details

NHER Number:4007
Type of record:Building
Name:St Peter's Church, Bramerton

Summary

A medieval parish church, dating mainly from the 14th century, but the presence of reused Caen stone and Roman bricks suggest the presence of an earlier building. The present tower seems to have been inserted into an existing nave during rebuilding in the 14th century. The church was restored in the late 19th century.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 295 046
Map Sheet:TG20SE
Parish:BRAMERTON, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

November 1959. Listed, Grade II*.
Listing Description:
Parish church. West tower c.1300, nave and chancel 14th century, north transept is 1857. Restored, re-seated and re-roofed 1866. Local tradition holds that the church was built in 1462, reflected by White's and Kelly's directories and the will of Richard Medewe, proved in 1463, leaves 12d to the "construction of the church". Probably the building was partially reconstructed or altered at that date. Flint with ashlar dressings and some brick. Slate roofs. 3 stage square unbuttressed west tower. Cinquefoiled western lancet. Blocked slit light to ringing chamber. 2 cusped Y tracery belfry windows with pierced Somerset infil. Plain parapet with corner obelisks. Embracing tower to north and south are rare extensions in the form of closed rooms, probably part of 1463 work, supported on diagonal flushwork buttresses. No windows. Plain tile roofs at nave height. Gabled south porch with stepped diagonal buttresses and moulded arched opening. Side lights are lancets, that to east under square hood. Plank and muntin south door. One 2-light cusped proto-Perpendicular south nave window. Stepped side buttresses to east end of nave, that to north side mostly removed on construction of gabled transept : diagonal buttresses, 2-light north window and 2-light east window. No west window owing to existence of a gabled 19th century vestry built over north door and abutting transept. 2 14th century 2-light south chancel windows with cusped 4-petal vesicas. The eastern one is reduced due to early 17th century brick priests' doorway : moulded 4-centred arch within moulded square surround. One lancet to north chancel. Diagonal flushwork east chancel buttresses flank 3-light reticulated east window. Interior. Wave moulded low tower arch. Side rooms with traceried squints, that to north now blocked. Octagonal font bowl with, on the underside, fleurons and seaweed foliage carving. 20th century octagonal plinth. Nave and chancel roofs of 1866 : arched braces from principals drop to head corbels. Moulded wall plates. Ridge piece and one tier purlins. False hammerbeam roof to north transept. Candle holders and brass reflecting plates survive Rood stairs partly revealed to south side. Hollow chamfered chancel arch with circular responds rising to fluted capitals. Early 18th century altar rails with tapering square section reeded balusters.
Information from (S1).

Possible Roman tiles in south wall, at top, but if so reused in 14th century.
Also Caen stone in tower and porch, reused from older building?
Possible evidence of eastern apse rebuilt as square; nave and chancel walls heightened and church remodelled in early 14th century, when tower built or rebuilt actually within west end of nave.
Priest's door 17th century.
North vestry early 19th century, north transept about 1860, restored church about 1880.
See (S2) in file.
E. Rose (NAU) 17 November 1987.

Monument Types

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

Associated Finds

  • TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: TG2904A, B,.
---Monograph: Bryant, T. H. 1901. Hundred of Henstead. The Churches of Norfolk. Vol VII. pp 15-19.
---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 212-213.
---Leaflet: Stedman, M. et al. 1978. Eleven Churches - A Guide to the Bramerton Group, Norfolk. Norwich Printing Services. pp 22-25.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1050489.
<S2>Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 1987. Building Report.. Building Report.

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