Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

September 1944. Architectural Survey.
St Mary the Virgin, Southery. Classed as ruinous, disused and dismantled.
Consists of a rectangular nave, with no aisles, and a rectangular chapel.
The older walls are constructed of flint, stone and rubble whilst the rebuilt walls are of brick.
The only original walls appear to be the north wall of the nave and the north wall of the chancel, which date to the 14th century. The north nave wall retains remains of 15th century stone windows, a north doorway, and rood stairs. This wall has been increased in height by about four feet of brickwork.
The south wall has been rebuilt south of the original wall and has remains of wood tracery in the windows. No glass or doors survive. The nave roof is modern, with king post trusses, but most of the slate is missing. No roof remains on the chancel and there is no chancel arch.
The only monument noted during the survey is a rectangular stone slab on the floor which is missing a small brass. The brass may be the one that was found in a dyke and is now preserved in the vestry of the new church (NHER 2591).
The building had become dilapidated by the 19th century, and a new church was constructed nearby (see NHER 2591) in 1858.
The church is overgrown wity ivy, but most of the walls remain to their full height.
Information from unpublished report (S17).
H. Hamilton (HES), 29 February 2024.

July 1959. Listed, Grade II.
Listing Description:
Ruins of former parish church. C15. Ferruginous conglomerate, ashlar and bricks. Nave and chancel. West wall of galleted chequered ashlar and ferruginous conglomerate. Arched west door repaired with brick, as are jambs of arched west window above. No tracery survives. Early C19 brick repairs to south of west front extending down south flank in form of aisled extension. Flat brick buttresses to south and 3 arched window openings. North door of ogee form and with hollow mouldings. 2 depressed arched window openings to east. Chancel east window opening faced with brick. No tracery. Internal rood stair door survives.
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
H. Hamilton (HES), 29 February 2024.

1984. Photographs.
See photographs (S22) of the church ruins prior to clearance work.
H. Hamilton (HES), 1 March 2024.

April 1986. Field Observation.
The church was examined following clearance work, which took place in March-April 1986.
A fragment of a grave cover was noted in the northwest corner of the nave, located with some rubble. The damaged slab retained one original edge and portions of two matrixes for brass. It likely held the brass which are now located in the vestry of the new St Mary's Church (NHER 2591). Blomefield (S6) mentioned the slab as lying in the pavement by the pulpit and commemorating the wife of William Stokes, gent.
See site visit notes (S24) and photographs (S25) for further details.
H. Hamilton (HES), 29 February 2024.

April 1986. Field Observation.
The church was examined following clearance work, which took place in March-April 1986.
Ruins of Old St Mary's church. Much reused Norman material and blocked window; nave shortened at west. North doorway 14th century, west wall 15th century. Extended to south, new east and west windows etc. in brick, 18th (or 19th?) century. Disused from mid-19th century. Two medieval sherds from yards.
See HER Notes (S5) and later re-typed version for unpublished report.
See also photographs (S26).
Historic images referenced in the report are likely (S11) and (S12).
E. Rose (NAU) 25 April 1986. Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 29 February 2024.

June 1986. Field Observation.
The interior has now been completely cleared.
The surface of the large central grave slab is plain and rough. This may indicate that it has been lain face down.
Several objects were recovered from a spoil heap from a 1m wide trench which had been excavated along the north side of the south wall of the churchyard (Context 3). The trench had been dug to the base of the wall.
The finds included:
2 sherds Late Saxon pottery (1 base and 1 rim)
1 sherd medieval pottery
1 sherd post-medieval pottery
1 fragment of medieval painted glass with evidence of grozing on the edge.
The objects have been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM:1986.218).
Information from HER Notes (S5).
E. Rose (NAU) 27 June 1986. Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 29 February 2024.

25 July 1986. Field Observation.
South churchyard wall demolished for rebuilding by MSC team.
A barnack limestone headstop or corbel was recovered from the rubble along with 3 sherds of Late Saxon pottery and 1 sherd post-medieval pottery.
The limestone object measures 21.5cm by 28cm by 19cm. All faces of the limestone object carry mortar, with the exception of the upper surface which is covered with lichen. It features the head of a female, possibly an angel, with a veil and chinstrap. Possibly 14th century.
See photographs of the headstop/corbel (S27).
Information from HER Notes (S5).
A. Rogerson (NAU), 30 July 1986. Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 29 February 2024.

31 July 1986. Field Observation.
No additional limestone from the south churchyard wall except for two very large squared blocks, one with illegible inscription and the other with the date 1792. These are likely to be medieval fragments re-used in the 18th century when the wall was constructed and they are to be replaced. It's possible that 1792 was the date the church was extended, but this is unconformed.
The large tomb slab in the church was examined. It's upper surface may have been flaked off by frost rather than it having been placed upside down.
A fragment of stone with matrices for two brass plaques which was noted during earlier observations (S. Ashley April 1986) was retrieved from a pile of rubble.
Information from HER Notes (S5).
E. Rose (NAU), 4 August 1986. Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 29 February 2024.

October 1986. Field Observation.
A possible fragment of a medieval stone coffin lid was observed laying immediately inside the eastern boundary wall. It may have been found during rebuilding. The upper surface of the stone was very worn.
See notes and sketch (S28).
It has also been noted that the west dorstep resembles a coffin slab.
See photogaphs (S29)
Information from HER Notes (S5).
S.J. Ashley (NAU), October 1986. Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 29 February 2024.

Before 1991. Documentary Research and Site Visit.
This site was included in a large research project on ruined and disused churches.
Whilst the walls of the chancel and nave include multiple pieces of carved limestone such as shafts and voussoirs, some of which clearly date to the 12th century, none survive in their original location. The oldest insitu part of the structure is the north wall of the nave (and possibly the north wall of the chancel), which was likely constructed in the 15th century. This date is based on the four-centred arches of the door and windows. There is evidence that the 15th century church originally extended further west. 18th century docmentary evidence (S6) also indicates that there was a small square tower constructed of 'rag and car stone' with two bells. However, by 1747 the tower appears to have fallen and Faculty was granted to sell the bells (S7).
The west wall was constructed in 1747, following the collapse of the tower, and likely includes limestone and conglomerate from the tower. The east, north, and part of the south wall of the chancel also appear to have been constructed at this time.
The final phase of construction is of brick and included the extension of the nave to the south by a few metres. This work included a new south wall to the nave, partial rebuildings of the south chancel wall, heightening of the nave north wall, remodeling the gable walls, inserting a west doorway and window, and re-roofing. Documentary evidence (S8) indicates that this took place in 1828, when additional pews for seating eighty people were added to the south side as well as a western gallery for an additonal 60 people. Ladbrooke's lithograph (S9) shows the church as it stood in 1832.
The church was left to dilapidate from 1858, when a new church was contructed in the village (NHER 2591). The majority of the roof was dismantled in 1949 and the remainder of the roof caught fire in 1968.
See full report in fiche and paper format (S31).
Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 29 February 2024.

May 2002. Field Observation.
Visit by NAU staff and the Diocesan Committee following reports that the structure had become unsound. Some areas of the church have become overgrown, but some closer observations could be made in other areas.
The scar of the original south wall before the 19th centuiry brick extension work can now be seen on the inner face of the west wall.
It was possible to examine the join between the older walling and the brickwork in the south wall of the chancel in more detail. Large stone quoins are present, reaching to ground level. It has been conjectured that this could indicate that the charnel chapel referenced in local folklore (S18) may have existed here.
The Norman window at the west end has a slight point and bears a mason's mark on the base. Dr. Maddison has suggested it may date to the 13th century.
Information from unpublished reports from Norfolk Landscape Archaeology (S33) and the Diocesan Advisory Committee (S34).
E. Rose (NLA), 24 May 2002. Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 29 February 2024.

Monument Types

• CHARNEL HOUSE? (Unknown date)
• MOUND? (Unknown date)
• CROSS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHURCH (Medieval to 19th Century - 1400 AD to 1858 AD)

Associated Finds

• POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BRASS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• COFFIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PAINTED GLASS (WINDOW) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CORBEL (Medieval - 1300 AD? to 1399 AD?)
• POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

• Listed Building

Sources and further reading

Related records

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Southery (Parish Summary)