Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

The western tower and nave are late 11th century with the north aisle and chancel dating to the 14th or 15th century. There is an 18th century mausoleum and post-medieval alterations. It is one of only three Romanesque churches in Norfolk with a square tower, the others being circular. The techniques of construction suggest the possibility that the church may be of Saxon date. There is a Jacobean tomb in the chancel with effigies of a husband and wife.
See (S8) for further information.
S. Howard (NLA), 16 June 2010.

November 1959. Listed Grade I.
Listing Description:
Hethel parish church, Medieval and later. Flint, rendered except for tower, with ashlar dressings. Brick north chapel. Slate nave roof, eastern roof not visible. West tower, nave with north aisle and south porch and chancel with former mausoleum. Cll west tower possibly pre-Conquest. Vestigial long and short western quoins at low level, otherwise rubble quoining. Blocked western door with re-used non-radial brick voussoirs. Post-Medieval bell stage with wooden Y-traceried openings, crow-stepped parapets and obelisk finials. Victorian traceried chancel windows in Decorated style. Nave and aisle windows with wooden frames beneath segmental arches. Former brick mausoleum to Branthwaite family of c.1730 with rusticated quoins, 2 blocked semi-circular headed windows to north, a large Victorian eastern archway with wooden tracery, a dentil and moulded brick cornice and a tall parapet with blocked 3-centred openings. C15 porch with a fine moulded entrance and a later crow-stepped gable. 3-bay C14 or C15 north arcade with octagonal piers and 2-ordered plain-chamfered arches. Tower arch in similar style. Former mausoleum with 2 blank Classical tablets opened-up to north aisle and chancel in C19. Fine coloured alabaster tomb of Myles Branthwaite (died 1612) and his wife Mary to north side of chancel. Full size effigies with Myles lying on side Mary on back. Flanking Corinthian columns supporting a coffered arch and obelisks. Strapwork and painted achievement above, inscription with elaborate cartouche in tympanum and 3 kneeling weepers below.
Information from (S1).
H. Hamilton (HES), 08 December 2017.

November 1978. Field Observation.
All Saints' Church, Hethel. West tower, called possible Norman by Pevsner. It has blocked brick-edged west door, but a Decorative west window and 18th century battlements. Decorative north arcade and former north chapel. Perpendicular south porch with later stepped gable. Round bowled picina in porch, an other (normal) in chancel. North doorway cruder than south. North chapel was converted to the Branthwaite mausoleum in c1730 - red brick with blue brick blocking to windows (including in parapet), it formerly had sash windows and was also used as the family pew. Three blank tablets inside. It shares a north-south roof with chancel (parapet on south also); at same time nave roof was made with similar flat ceiling; plain windows inserted in nave and aisle and Venetian window on wast. These were removed in 1882 and replaced by gothic Revival ones, though a Gothic door had already been inserted in mausoleum om 1819. Strange projection on south side nave may indicate position or rood stair. Excellent Branthwaite figured tomb of 1612. 18th cneutry monuments. 17th cnetury floor tomb set in wall, and brass plaque (called a "marble" on inscription) in poor condition. Wall paintings, revealed in 19th century, were covered in emulsion in 1976. Hatchments. Chalice, Ghent 1532.
Information from HER Record Card (S9).
H. Hamilton (HES), 01 March 2023.

April 1993. Field Observation.
Late Saxon or Saxo-Norman tower and nave south wall. Church heightened and altered in 14th and 15th centuries.
Large mausoleum added and church remodelled in Classical style 1730. Mausoleum to the Branthwayte family.
Regothicisation 1819, 1882.
Roman bricks in tower, and conglomerate. Norman mortar used as stoup.
Very fine collection of monuments to Branthwayte family from early 17th century onwards.
See report (S2) for further details.
E. Rose (NLA), 21 April 1993.

March-April 1999. Field Observation.
Wallpainting found (sometime before 29 March) whilst removing an 18th century wall memorial. The painting is 16th or 17th century, part of the Apostle's Creed.
See photographs (S3) taken during visit in April 1999.
E. Rose (NLA), 29 March 1999. Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 01 March 2023.

March 2003. Building Survey.
Stone by stone evaluation of the church tower by rectified photography, followed by interpretation.
See report (S4) and digital photographs (S5). The results of this survey are also noted in (S6).
J. Allen (NLA), 6 March 2003.

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• CHURCH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• FINDSPOT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• CHURCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHURCH (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• MAUSOLEUM (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

• BRICK (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• DOOR (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• WINDOW (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• DOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• DOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FONT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MORTAR (VESSEL) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PISCINA (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PISCINA (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WALL PAINTING (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)
• WALL PAINTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• WINDOW (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• Xbell frame (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

• Listed Building

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• How to investigate a church (How to)
• Parish Summary: Bracon Ash (Parish Summary)