Record Details
| NHER Number: | 8248 |
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| Type of record: | Building |
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| Name: | All Saints' Church, Lessingham |
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Summary
This small church consists of a west tower, thatched nave, ruined chancel and a south porch. The basic structure is 13th century, with a 14th century belfry and porch, though the church was much rebuilt during a restoration of 1893. The chancel was left ruinous after a storm in 1961, and has been walled off from the nave. Inside, the nave has a panelled roof, and there is a 13th century octagonal font on a modern base. The piscina is of about the same date, and both may have come from an earlier building. The little pulpit dates to around 1650. An important medieval rood screen depicting twelve saints has been taken into storage, though there is a photograph of it in the church.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 391 285 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG32NE |
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| Parish: | LESSINGHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Church with 13th century font and piscina, but basic structure of about 1300; belfry and porch perhaps later 14th century.
15th century windows and rood stair.
Much rebuilt and restored in 1893.
Chancel ruined 1962.
Important rood screen now in St Peter Hungate Museum.
Report (S1), photographs (S2), short history (S3) and copy Ladbrooke print (S4) in file.
See also (S5).
E. Rose (NLA), 15 September 2001.
The east wall of the chancel was badly damaged during a storm in October 1961 (not 1962 as stated above).
The rood screen has been moved from St Peter Hungate to a store at Gressenhall.
Information from [1], submitted via the Norfolk Heritage Explorer website.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 22 September 2008.
Further to the above, the museum store at Gressenhall has since 1995 held two sections of the dado of the rood screen and also 3 other loose medieval panels from the church. (S6) describes how the screen was originally designed and painted as an Apostle screen depicting the 12 apostles but fairly early in its life a new set of saints were applied on paper over the old. The author provides evidence to suggest that this was the output of a workshop responsible for other Norfolk screens around 1500-10. The loose panels depict St Apollonia, St Catherine and St Mary Magdalene and are generally considered to be the door of the screen. The author of (S6) noted that they do not appear to be of the same workshops as either phase of the main screen.
See (S6) for further details.
A. Yardy (HES), 15 February 2016.
Monument Types
- CHURCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- CHURCH (Medieval to 21st Century - 1066 AD to 2100 AD)
Associated Finds
- FONT (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)
Protected Status
Sources and further reading
| --- | Aerial Photograph: TG3928A, B. |
| --- | 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 585. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| <S1> | Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 2001. Building Report.. Building Report. |
| <S2> | Photograph: Rose, E.. 2001. JZR 12-16. |
| <S3> | Unpublished Document: 1997. A Short History Of Our Church. 19 September. |
| <S4> | Illustration: Ladbrooke, J. B.. 1882. Lessingham Church S.E.. |
| <S5> | Designation: English Heritage. National Heritage List for England. |
| <S6> | Unpublished Report: Wrapson, L.. Notes on Lessingham rood screen and loose panels. Specialist Report. |
Related records - none
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