St Mary the Virgin
Great Bircham, Norfolk
A 13th century church with an angel roof and medieval door.
Harpley, Norfolk
The oldest part of the church was built in the 13th century by Robert Knowles, a famous general in the wars with France in the reigns of Edward III and Richard III. The chancel was added in the early 14th century by John De Gurney.
The 15th century left a rare treasure, this is the South door, still in its original setting it is probably the finest carved door in the county of Norfolk, and one of the best in the whole country. It is embellished with Tudor roses, crockets, and rich canopies and the wicket is traceried and has signs of St Luke and St John, there are niches running from the sill of the door with mutilated figures of saints and the four doctors of the church Gregory, Jerome, Ambrose and Augustine, their faces sliced off by Cromwell's men, during a time of extreme political and religious unrest resulting in the English civil wars of 1642 to 1649.
There are the remains of an outstanding decorated piscina and sedilia on the south wall with a canopy. There is still enough detail left to show how beautiful it originally was. The marks of Cromwell's men's picks are still there also. The arch braced 15th century roof is spectacular with flat, carved, demi-angels all along the deep coving and more little angels along the full length of the ridge. There is a fine set of 15th century open benches in the nave with pierced quatrefoil backs. The front north pew has the name John Martin 1638 carved on the end, presumably where he sat.
Great Bircham, Norfolk
Bircham Newton, Norfolk
Tatterford, Norfolk