Record Details

NHER Number:1136
Type of record:Building
Name:St Mary's Church, Old Hunstanton

Summary

Old Hunstanton is dominated by Hunstanton Hall (NHER 1117), and in its grounds is St Mary's, one of the largest churches in this part of Norfolk. The oldest elements of the church are the Norman font and a fragment of re-used Norman stone in the vestry. The offset northwest tower is 15th century, but is completely dwarfed by the huge nave and chancel, the result of a massive and enthusiastic Victorian restoration and rebuilding exercise that included the fine tall south porch. Inside, the Norman font is set on a high pedestal in glazed 19th century tiles and the whole interior is lit by very good 19th century stained glass windows. St Mary's is not without its medieval survivals, including the rood screen and the arcades, but most visible elements date from the 19th century, including the carved alabaster pulpit, made as a memorial to Henry Styleman Le Strange (died 1862), who paid for all the rebuilding work. In the churchyard are two headstones of 1784, one to an Excise man killed by smugglers and one to a smuggler who fell in the same skirmish.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 6890 4198
Map Sheet:TF64SE
Parish:OLD HUNSTANTON, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

St Mary's Church.
Much ironbound conglomerate.
Norman font and fragments, otherwise mostly late 13th century but completely 'restored' and altered 1857. Good brasses and tombs.
For full details see report (S1) in file. Architectural plans (S2) and press cutting (S3) in file.
E. Rose (NAU), 25 March 1981.

June 1953. Listed, Grade II.
Listing Description Excerpt:
"Parish Church. 14th century fabric by two members of the Le Strange family of Hunstanton Hall. Ambitiously restored and reroofed in about 1860 by Henry Le Strange (1815 to 1862), developer of New Hunstanton… Flint, stone dressings, lead roofs. Northwest tower, nave and clerestorey, north and south aisles, south porch, chancel, north vestries."
Information from (S4).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S4) for the current details.
Amended by H. Hamilton (HES), 8 November 2019.

Monument Types

  • CHURCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • CHURCH (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • COFFIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • DOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FONT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PISCINA (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PISCINA (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • ROOD SCREEN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • GRAVESTONE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WINDOW (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: TF6841A.
---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. TF6941/AD, AK, AL, AP; TF6842/G.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Website: Knott, S.. 2005. St Mary, Hunstanton 'Old Hunstanton'. http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/oldhunstanton/oldhunstanton.htm. 13 December 2006.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, W. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 437-439.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 1981. Building Report. Building Report.
<S2>Illustration: Various. Various. Architectural plans.
<S3>Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1998. Church fund raisers praying for a windfall. 16 October.
<S4>Designation: English Heritage. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1077920.

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