Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

Round tower and nave about 1050 containing much Roman material including flue tile. Possible removed north chapel. Chancel and porch added, nave windows about 1300. 15th century window (removed 19th century) and nave roof, tower perhaps heightened at this date. 19th century rendering with new porch, chancel roof, windows.
Few furnishings of interest except for good Great War memorial triptych.
See report (S1) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 15 October 2002.

March 2003. Trial Trench. Contexts 10-30.
Excavation of single trench within footprint of proposed extension to north nave.
A buried churchyard soil was uncovered which contained Roman tile, medieval and post medieval finds. Part of this deposit had been cut to enable the construction of a wall or wall foundation during the medieval period, possibly in the 14th century. This would have been part of a structure to the north of the nave, probably a north aisle. Part of an in situ tiled floor (including glazed and decorated tiles) was found within the probable aisle. It was disturbed in the 15th century or later, during the abandonment and demolition of the structure.
Two medieval infant skeletons were found buried to the north of the probable aisle. It was not clear whether they were buried whilst the structure was standing.
An 18th century brick and stone vault and associated cut were found truncating the abandonment deposit associated with the probable aisle. The vault was associated with the Sewell family and was last used during the mid 19th century.
See report (S2) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S3).
The archive associated with this work have been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2021.206).
M. Horlock (NLA), 29 August 2003. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 6 March 2015 and 29 March 2022.

July to September 2007. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with the construction of a northern extension, including the observation of the excavation of a drainage trench and soak away and the opening of the blocked north door.
Deposits encountered during the evaluation were observed in the area of the extension. The builders recovered a complete medieval pot from beneath the floor of the possible north aisle (S7). The 18th century vault was opened; it contained at least twenty lead coffins.
A churchyard soil was visible in the drainage trench and soak away.
Report awaited.
D. Robertson (NLA), 25 September 2007.

September 2007. Watching Brief.
Unblocking of north doorway produced fragments of a moulded brick doorway of around 1500 reused in the rubble, possibly the entrance to the south porch which was rebuilt in 1895, and a number of 18th/19th century plastered bricks which may once have formed an entrance feature to the Sewell vault below. A number of 17th century roof tiles were also found.
See report (S4) for further details.
E. Rose (NLA), 24 September 2007.

April 2009. Watching Brief. Contexts from 31.
A watching brief was carried out during the removal of a portion of walling from a blocked western doorway believed to be of Saxon origin. Once the infill had been removed, it was revealed that the two imposts visible on the interior of the doorway continued through to the exterior with a triple roll mould on their underside and would have projected forward from the jambs in a style consistent with the Late Saxon period. Within the arch above the doorway Tredington-style birckwork was recorded, lending further support to an 11th century date for the tower. It appears that at some time between the late 16th and 19th century the western entrance fell out of use and was blocked up using a mixture of flint, medieval brick and post-medieval tile.
See report (S5) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S6).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 4 September 2009.

Monument Types

• ROUND TOWERED CHURCH (Late Saxon to 21st Century - 851 AD to 2100 AD)
• CHURCHYARD (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• FLOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• INHUMATION (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WALL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHURCH (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• VAULT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• WALL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

• NAIL (Unknown date)
• BRICK (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• FLOOR TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• FLUE TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• TEGULA (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• TILE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• DOOR (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• WINDOW (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BRICK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FLOOR TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HUMAN REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HUMAN REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• ROOF TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• WINDOW (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: Howe (Parish Summary)