Record Details

NHER Number:7123
Type of record:Building
Name:SS Peter and Paul's Church, Fakenham

Summary

The amount of reused stonework in the church indicates there was an earlier church on the site. The oldest part of the present building is the Early English 13th century north doorway. The chancel, nave and aisles were made in two periods in Decorated style in the 14th century work and a 14th century screen still survives. The tower is unusally tall and grand and was built in Perpendicular style in the 15th century with remarkable concrete roof added in 1963. The church was restored in 1864.

Images

  • St Peter and St Paul's Church in Fakenham seen from the neighbouring village of Hempton  © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service

Location

Grid Reference:TF 9191 2976
Map Sheet:TF92NW
Parish:FAKENHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Reused stonework indicates a Romanesque building. North door Early English. Chancel, nave and aisles of two periods of Decorated work. Tower (very grand) Perpendicular (with remarkable concrete roof of 1963) as is clerestory, porch and font.
Restoration 1864. Good 14th century screen. Several good memorials. Churchyard walls listed separately.
See (S1) and (S2).
E. Rose (NLA), 29 March 2003.

February 2005. Works on floor observed.
Under a pew platform to north the ground was replaced by concrete in the 20thcentury. A grave slab to John Pigge, surgeon 1755 and his relict Bridget, was uncovered, sunk down within the brick surround. To the south the floor rested on walls of 19th century bricks.
See (S3).
E. Rose (NLA), 22 February 2005.

June 2005. Watching Brief. Contexts 1-3.
Monitoring of drainage work. A partial profile of the flint and mortar foundation of the tower was revealed. A garden or churchyard soil deposit to the south of the tower contained one possible in situ east to west aligned burial and a small amount of disarticulated human bone.
See report (S4) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S5).
J. Allen (NLA), 6 June 2005.

May 2009.
The rereros dating from 1864 has been cleaned and revarnished, and much of the gilding has been replaced. Cracked stone has been remodelled and the iron ties have been replaced.
See (S6).
H. White (NLA), 19 May 2009.

Monument Types

  • CHURCH (Medieval to 21st Century - 1066 AD to 2100 AD)
  • SERPENTINE WALL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WALL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • (Undated)
  • DOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PISCINA (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • ROOD SCREEN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • GRAVESTONE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WINDOW (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: TF9129 A,H-K,V-W,AL-AP.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1984-1985. [Articles on the repairs of the windows at SS Peter and Paul's Church, Fakenham].
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1989. [Articles of the stone skull found at SS Peter and Paul's Church, Fakenham].
---Article in Serial: Plunkett, G. A. F. 1979. Norfolk Church Screens - 1865 Survey. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXXVII Pt II pp 178-189. p 182.
---Article in Monograph: Fernie, E. 1996. The Building: An Introduction. Norwich Cathedral: Church, City and Diocese, 1096-1996. Atherton, I. et al (eds). pp 47-58. p 54.
---Monograph: Bryant, T. H. 1900. Hundred of Gallow. The Churches of Norfolk. Vol VI. pp 38-48.
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 92 NW 21.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 457.
---Newspaper Article: The Times. 1990. Church in the spotlight. 12 January.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1992-1997. [Articles on the bells at SS Peter and Paul's Church, Fakenham].
---Serial: 1826. Supplement to Excursions through Norfolk.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. [Articles on the closing of the tower at SS Peter and Paul's Church, Fakenham until repair work].
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. Festival to keep spirits up. 29 September.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2011. Prince gives his backing to church's appeal fund. 20 October.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2011. Church bells may not ring at Christmas. 30 November.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1995. Friends' plea to save church. 21 April.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2017. Parish church sealed off. 25 February.
---Designation: English Heritage. 1990-2013. English Heritage Listing Notification. Notification. DNF6380.
<S1>Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1039454.
<S2>Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 2003. Building Report.. Building Report.
<S3>Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 2005. Addendum to Building Report. Building Report.
<S4>Unpublished Contractor Report: Boyle, M. 2005. An Archaeological Watching Brief at SS Peter and Paul's Church, Fakenham, Norfolk. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 1083.
<S5>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. 2006. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk in 2005. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLV Pt I pp 124-136. p 127.
<S6>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2008-2009. [Articles on the restoration of the reredos at SS Peter and Paul's Church, Fakenham].

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