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Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	8928
Type of record:	Building
Name:	St Mary's Church, Hackford

Summary

The chancel of this church dates to around 1300 but the presence of a Norman doorway which has been reused in the building suggests that an earlier church probably stood on the same spot. The nave, west tower and south porch are all constructed in Perpendicular style and bequests for the construction of the tower date from 1423 to 1471.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:	TG 0594 0225
Map Sheet:	TG00SE
Parish:	DEOPHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Norman doorway. Chancel Early English; nave and some chancel windows Perpendicular; Perpendicular porch and tower.
See (S1).
Listed Grade II*. See (S2)
E. Rose (NAU), 15 January 1990.

3 March 2007.
Sign on door barring entry because of unsafe 'cracks in roof'.
M. Dennis (NLA), 8 March 2007.

September 2008. Analysis of plasters at the eastern end of the nave.
Some original Norman masonry and rendering is apparent on the east wall of the nave and on the central part of the east wall above the chancel roof. This shows that the Norman east wall was cut through to form the chancel arch, and it is likely that the current chancel arch replaces one of Norman date.
Romanesque and late medieval plasters have been identified on the interior wall of the east nave. The predominant plaster above the chancel arch is early twelfth century and of the first masonry phase. The west elevation of the chancel arch is predominantly late medieval plaster work, although there are many repairs and replastering ranging from the sixteenth century to the 1960s. The early plaster has an interesting painted decoration.
There is evidence that a rood beam was removed and the slot filled in the seventeenth century.
The most extensive replastering took place in 1886, as confirmed by the date incised into the wet plaster.
See (S3) for more information.
H. White (NLA), 7 November 2008.

29 September 2008. Watching Brief.
Ttwo small trial holes were excavated to examine foundations at the east end of the Nave. The investigation concluded that excavation of the dry channel and later modifications to the fabric of the church roof weakened the foundations, causing the walls to fall outwards and cracks to appear around the chancel arch.
See report (S4) for further details.
H. White (NLA), 9 June 2009

Monument Types

CHURCH (Medieval to 21st Century - 1066 AD to 2100 AD)

Associated Finds

DOOR (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)
WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Protected Status

Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---	Monograph: Bryant, T. H. 1905. Hundred of Forehoe. The Churches of Norfolk. Vol XVII. pp 107-111.
---	Article in Serial: Cotton, Simon. [unknown]. Norfolk Archaeology?.
---	Documentary Source: Martin, T. c. 1700-1799. Collections of Church Notes. Norfolk Records Office.
---	Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---	Illustration: Ladbrooke. [unknown].
---	Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, W. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 373-374.
---	Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. The road to nowhere. 20 July.
---	Leaflet: St. Mary's Church of Hackford..
---	Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2012. St Mary's church reborn in true Easter celebration. 9 April.
<S1>	Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 1990. Building Report. Building Report.
<S2>	Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England.
<S3>	Unpublished Document: Heywood, S. and Kirkham, A. 2008. The Church of St Mary, Hackford. Analysis of the Plasters at the Eastern End of the Nave..
<S4>	Unpublished Contractor Report: Birks, C. 2008. Report on an Archaeological Watching Brief at St. Mary’s Church, Hackford, Norfolk. Chris Birks Archaeological Services. CB167R.