We can often dismiss the pew as nothing more than just something to sit on in church. If, however, you take a closer look at some of the pews in Norfolk churches, you'll discover intricate detail and, at times, a sense of humour!
In the medieval period, most church interiors featured colourful and highly decorative depictions of biblical stories which enabled their key messages to be understood by the illiterate. Unfortunately, most were painted over or destroyed as taste and theology changed throughout the centuries. Wall paintings experienced a revival during the period of church construction in the 19th century.
Font covers were particularly popular from the medieval to the Jacobean period and were often intricately carved and painted. Some were so heavy that it was necessary to install a crane or pulley to a nearby wall in order to lift them off. Have a look at these wonderful examples in Norfolk churches.
Fonts are often placed at or near the entrance of the nave because the rite of baptism is the first initiation into the Church and reminds believers of their journey. The variety of fonts in Norfolk is huge. They may be round, octagonal, square... They may feature religious figures, sacraments, beasts, patterns... Think how many baptisms a Norfolk font has seen over its 1000 year history!
There are plenty of beasties lurking on the walls of Norfolk churches and they're not all spiders! You can tell the difference between gargoyles and grotesques because gargoyles were carved to accommodate a waterspout. Keep your eyes peeled for these quirky figures.
Whether it is a heavy medieval door or a glass door with intricate etched motifs, opening the door of a church on your first visit always brings with it a feeling of anticipation.
Memorials are our connection to individuals of the past who would otherwise be lost in the sands of time. Early incised stones, medieval effigies, ledgerstones, brasses, modern gravestones - Norfolk has it all. Memorials reveal their sense of identity and the impact they had on those left behind. Almost all the surviving medieval British sculpture is in churches, and most of it is in the form of monuments.
Chests were amongst the most important and prevalent form of medieval furniture, and many fine examples survive in Norfolk churches today. Originally, they provided secure containers in which to store vestments, church plate, documents, alms for the poor, or to collect funds for crusades. Frequently made from oak or elm, they were constructed as heavy, immovable objects intended to keep their contents dry and safe from thieves and vermin.
The playing of an organ is an uplifting and inspiring sound that fills the church in which it sits. Here is a gallery of just some of the more ornate organs in our Norfolk churches.
High up in the rafters of some of our churches are angels looking down. Indeed, Norfolk churches have a beautiful and varied collection of roof angels waiting for you to discover them.
From the Latin 'pulpitum', the 'pulpit' is the platform from where a preacher addresses the congregation. Whilst some pulpits can be austere, some are very ornate. In this gallery we've picked a selection of pulpits to highlight the range there is to see in Norfolk.
The quality of stonework in Norfolk churches is a testament to the craftsmanship of stonemasons in centuries gone by. Marvel at the detail and creativity.
There are just over one hundred thatched churches in Norfolk, about thirty in Suffolk and one in Lincolnshire. Thatch is a sustainable material, and reed and sedge cutting is part of the management of the Broads marshes.
Of around 181 round tower churches in the UK, 126 are in Norfolk. Why are there so many here? No one really knows. Perhaps it is because round towers were easier to build with the local material, flint. Or maybe inspiration was taken from the abbey at Bury St Edmunds which had a rotunda chapel based on the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and turrets on the radiating chapels. Enjoy these unusual churches - there are plenty to see!
The floor of a church building plays an important role in providing the background to its character. Some medieval churches may still have their original floor, but later floors may also be interesting and attractive additions, particularly decorative Victorian tiles. Look out for these in the sanctuary.
We and our partners use information collected through cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience on our site and analyse how you use it. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. You can exercise your right to opt-out of that sharing at any time by disabling cookies.
These cookies and scripts are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, suchas setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block oralert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do notstore any personally identifiable information.
Analytics
These cookies and scripts allow us to count visits and traffic sources, so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies and scripts, we will not know when you have visited our site.