Record Details

NHER Number:8515
Type of record:Building
Name:St Helen's Church, Ranworth

Summary

This church is mainly in the Decorated style (about 1290-1350) but was altered in the Perpendicular period (about 1350-1530). It contains exceptional examples of woodwork including the finest rood screen in Norfolk, dating to 1419. It is also blessed with a number of good brasses and monuments. Finds from the churchyard comprise a medieval tile and iron key along with a 19th century reliquary. Unsurprisingly this church is one of sixty-five Norfolk churches selected amongst the 1000 best churches in England.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 3560 1476
Map Sheet:TG31SE
Parish:RANWORTH WITH PANXWORTH, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
WOODBASTWICK, BROADLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

Decorated, altered in Perpendicluar period.
Contains exceptional woodwork including finest rood screen in Norfolk, 1419, and good brasses and monuments. Also an antiphoner 1478 (at NCM on loan during winter months), see (S1).
Found in churchyard: 14th century tile, iron key, 19th century reliquary.
Listed grade I.
See details in file.
E. Rose (NAU) 4 December 1989. Amended by A. Beckham (HES), 5 March 2020.

This is one of the sixty five Norfolk churches selected for (S2).
D. Gurney (NLA) 17 February 2006.

March 2009.
Proposals to repair and rebuild a section of the churchyard wall.
See photographs in file
H. White (NLA), 7 April 2009

February 2012.
It has been suggested that the choir stalls may once have been at St Benet's Abbey (NHER 5199). One of the misericords depicts the gatehouse and mill (see digital photo), but this dates to 1998 (S4).
D. Gurney (HES), 27 February 2012.

Monument Types

  • CHURCH (Medieval to 21st Century - 1290 AD to 2100 AD)

Associated Finds

  • BOOK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • DOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • DOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FLOOR TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • KEY (LOCKING) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (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)
  • KEY (LOCKING) (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • RELIQUARY (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Publication: [Unknown]. [unknown]. Palimpsests Behind 'Norfolk' Brasses (N).
---Article in Serial: Hart, R. 1847. Description of the engraving from the Randworth screen chiefly as it illustrates the ecclesiastical vestments of our church during the middle ages. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol I pp 324-333.
---Article in Serial: Manning, C. R. 1859. Font cover formerly in Ranworth Church. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol V pp 268-270.
---Article in Serial: Manning, C. R. 1872. Ancient Lecterns Preserved in Norfolk Churches. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol VII pp 122-127. pp 123-124.
---Article in Serial: Morant, A. W. and L'Estrange, J. 1872. Notice of the Church at Randworth. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol VII pp 178-211.
---Aerial Photograph: TG3514A-B, M-X.
---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. TG 3514AC.
---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. pp 642-643; Pl 49, Pl 52.
---Leaflet: Ranworth Church..
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2011. A tour of Norfolk's magical ups and downs. 21 March.
---Leaflet: E.D. Everard. Visitor's guide to Ranworth Church..
---Leaflet: Simon Cotton & Roy Tricker. Saint Andrew Burlingham.
---Leaflet: n.d.. Welcome to St Helen's Church, Ranworth.
---Article in Serial: Whittingham, A. 1980. Ranworth Church. The Archaeological Journal. Vol 137 pp 291-292.
---Article in Serial: Plummer, P. 1980. The Ranworth Rood Screen. The Archaeological Journal. Vol 137 pp 292-295.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N. 1962. North-East Norfolk and Norwich. The Buildings of England. 1st Edition. pp 300-301; Pl 36b.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1997. Church is star despite the fuzz. 3 April.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1996. Roses revealed on rear of medieval rood screen. 12 September.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1992. Spectacle of light and sound. 12 September.
<S1>Article in Serial: Everard, E. D. 1947. The Ranworth Antiphoner. [unknown].
<S2>Publication: Jenkins, S. 2000. England's Thousand Best Churches.
<S3>Illustration: Various. Various. Architectural plans.
<S4>Publication: Patricia Mockridge. n.d.. The Parish Church of St. Helen's, Ranworth. The Cathedral of the Broads..

Related records - none

Find out more...

Norfolk County Council logo Heritage Lottery Fund logo

Powered by HBSMR-web and the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd, and mojoPortal CMS
© 2007 - 2024 Norfolk Historic Environment Service