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Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	4547
Type of record:	Building
Name:	St Mary's Church, Beachamwell

Summary

A parish church, dating to the Late Saxon period, with medieval alterations. The church has a round tower with Late Saxon windows, and a reused gravestone from AD 1050. Some unusual graffiti within the church include a demon and a list of mason's materials. The church was sadly gutted by a fire in 2022, which destroyed the thatched roof and most of the internal contents. The church's tower and walls are however still standing and its restoration is being planned.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:	TF 7506 0535
Map Sheet:	TF70NE
Parish:	BEACHAMWELL, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

Late Saxon round tower with claimed midwall shaft formed from grave slab about 1050.
Perpendicular and 19th century.
Interesting graffiti.
1765. Alabaster carving found under floor.
E. Rose (NAU)

June 1960. Listed, Grade I
See (S1) for complete listing description.
E. Rose, (NAU) 2 December 1985.

2010-2012. Field Observation.
Examined as part of the Norfolk Medieval Graffiti Survey.
Various examples of medieval graffiti were recorded, including a demon on one of the nave columns.
See project website (S2) and local press articles (S3) and (S4) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 May 2022.

2 February 2022. Fire.
Church gutted by fire. Work had been taking place to replace lead that had been stolen from the roof in 2019 and it is believed that a spark from welding equipment set fire to the thatched roof. The resulting blaze destroyed the roof, the spire and much of the church's interior, although the tower and the main walls are still standing. It is however reported that the "vast majority of valuable items" had been saftely removed from the building and that "virtually all" of the written records had also survived, including the Marriage Registers and the current Burial Register and Service Book. The fate of the medieval graffiti is however unknown at present.
It is likely that the church will be restored.
See (S?) and local press articles (S4)-(S9) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 May 2022.

Monument Types

ROUND TOWERED CHURCH (Late Saxon to 19th Century - 851 AD to 1900 AD)
CROSS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds

DOOR (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
GRAVESTONE (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
WINDOW (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
CARVING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
DOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FONT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
INSCRIBED OBJECT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
PISCINA (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
WINDOW (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---	Web Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2019. Warning after lead stolen from historic Norfolk church. https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/lead-thieves-target-church-in-beachamwell-swaffham-norfolk-police-1401222. 5 May 2022.
---	Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1981. Sale of Cotmans. 19 November.
---	Aerial Photograph: TF7505A, (AAF) B-F, (Unit).
---	Article in Serial: 1922. Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society. Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society. Vol XXIII, p 24, 30.
---	Monograph: Brown, G. B. 1925. Anglo-Saxon Architecture. The Arts in Early England. Vol II. pp 277, 407, 424, 44.
---	Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1077300.
---	Monograph: Bryant, T. H. 1904. Hundred of Clackclose. The Churches of Norfolk. Vol XIII. pp 33-39.
---	Publication: Cautley, H. M. 1949. Norfolk Churches. pp 5, 173.
---	Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1995-2000. [Articles on the rethatching of the St Mary's Church, Beachamwell].
---	Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1999. [Photograph of St Mary's Church]. 13 August.
---	Monograph: Davison, A. 1988. Six Deserted Villages in Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 44. pp 13-17.
---	Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---	Publication: Messent, C. J. W. 1936. The Parish Churches of Norfolk & Norwich. p 26.
---	Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 198.
---	Leaflet: Roy Tricker. Beechamwell Churches..
---	Publication: Taylor, H.M. and Taylor, J.. 1978. Anglo Saxon Architecture..
---	Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Late Saxon. Beachamwell.
---	Secondary File: Secondary File.
---	Unpublished Document: Swift, R. L. 1997. Beachamwell. A Study of the Three Ecclesiastical Sites.
---	Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>	Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1077301.
<S2>	Website: 2010-. Norfolk Medieval Graffiti Survey. http://www.medieval-graffiti.co.uk/. 5 May 2022. Catalogue (favourite sites) - Beachamwell [accessed 5 May 2022].
<S3>	Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2015. Matthew's team discovers a lost world of art. 21 November.
<S4>	Web Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2018. Weird Norfolk: The digging devil of Beachamwell. https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/weird-norfolk-beachamwell-norfolk-devil-graffiti-1173112. 5 May 2022.
<S5>	Web Article: BBC. 2022. Beachamwell: Blaze rips through 11th Century thatched church. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-60232447. 5 May 2022.
<S6>	Web Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2022. Blaze destroys roof of Grade I listed church. https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/church-fire-beachamwell-norfolk-8663368. 5 May 2022.
<S7>	Web Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2022. 'I cried' - Villagers tell of sadness as 11th century church damaged by fire. https://www.edp24.co.uk/lifestyle/heritage/st-marys-beachamwell-church-fire-resident-sadness-8664376. 5 May 2022.
<S8>	Web Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2022. Majority of valuable items safe following ancient church fire. https://www.edp24.co.uk/lifestyle/heritage/diocese-of-ely-beachamwell-majority-church-items-safe-8675848. 5 May 2022.
<S9>	Web Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2022. Pictured: The interior of church gutted by fire. https://www.edp24.co.uk/lifestyle/heritage/beachamwell-church-can-be-restored-says-ecclesiastical-8679272. 5 May 2022.

Related records - none

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Parish Summary: Beachamwell (Parish Summary)