North Walsham, Norfolk - St. Nicholas
St Nicholas, one of Britain's largest parish churches, stands in the centre of the market town of North Walsham. The church was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the change to St. Nicholas only happening in later years after the English Reformation.
The present church was started in about 1330, although a Saxon church was partially enlarged and altered around 1275 as a temporary measure to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding town. Work was interrupted by the Black Death in 1348 and again in 1361. These fatal epidemics resulted in a lack of skilled craftsmen, a fact which necessitated the austere simple tracery in most of the buildings windows. At the time of the Peasants' Revolt in 1381, there was another delay following the Battle of North Walsham, when a large group of rebellious local peasants were confronted and defeated by the heavily armed forces led by the warlike bishop of Norwich, Henry le Despenser.
The church was consecrated by le Despenser at the end of the 14th. century and was completed in 1406, when the town’s population was around 850 and had the benefits of profits from the wool and weaving industries to pay for their new church.
The entrance porch is richly carved and decorated with colourful statues and heraldic emblems. During the medieval period the south chapel area contained a shrine to Thomas Becket, popular with pilgrims making their way to Bromholm Priory at Bacton.
The building contains many unusual features and artefacts which include the intricately carved telescopic baptismal font cover, a massive iron-bound chest with seven locks, medieval misericord seats, the remains of a highly decorated parclose screen with an array of painted saints, a unique Communion Table, and the highly ornate marble tomb of Sir William Paston, 1st. Baronet, (1528 to 1610).
The ruinous tower is a local landmark and stands to a height of 85 ft. (25.9 m). The steeple was the second tallest in Norfolk after Norwich Cathedral, attaining a height of 147 ft. (44.8 m) to the parapet, with a lead covered timber spire reaching to 180 ft. (54.85 m). Local folklore suggests that the spire was added as an act of local rivalry after the completion of the 158 ft. (48.15 m) tower at Cromer church.
The tower collapsed on the morning of Saturday 16th. May 1724, when the entire south-west corner of the structure containing the stairwell failed. The distressed state of the building had been noticed by the Sexton the previous evening when he ascended the tower to wind the clock. That day had seen the six heavy bells rung for several hours during the Ascensiontide Fair. The ringing of the bells combined with a windy day caused a vibration to resonance throughout the structure. The vicar, Thomas Jeffery noted the catastrophe in the parish register,
"Memorandum May 16th. Between nine and ten o'clock in the forenoon on the Sat. fell down the north and south sides of the steeple and no person man woman nor child 'yt we hear of yet getting any mischief thereby. Thanks to be to God for his goodness therein."
The collapse was witnessed by Thomas Cooper Esq. who wrote,
“Between eight and nine a clock in the morning the steeple of North Walsham fell down. It was visibly seen by a great part of the inhabitants to work (crumble) for about an hour before it fell. The Sexton with some others were up the steeple about 2 hours before to wind up the clock, but seeing a shard come down, without winding the clock, he descended to tell the inhabitants, which gave them timely notice that there was so many ye more on that account that see that dreadful sight, ye day before being ye fair day, as is well, many people went up the steeple. It gave such warning and was so long in falling that I bless God no body received any harm. All this I was an eye witness to."
Once open to the elements the building deteriorated further. In 1835 more falls indicated the weakness of the upper stonework. The last major fall was at 6pm on Wednesday 17th. February 1836 when heavy wintery gales brought down the north side of the ruin, sending a quake like tremor through the town. The remaining east belfry wall was later dismantled to a reduced height as a safety precaution. One large window with its distinctive reticulated tracery remains in situ. In 1939 stabilisation work was carried out on the tower, in the hope that one day rebuilding might be possible.
The churchyard is small. The burial registers go back to 10th. October 1541, and give indications of plague and illness that took their toll on the town’s population. In 1558, 110 burials are recorded, well above the average of less than 20 at that time. When the plague struck the town again in 1626 there are 138 recorded burials for the year, 59 in one month alone. There is a note by July 1742, ‘At this time the small pox broke out in the town and continued with great violence for several months’.
The church received Grade: I listed building status on 21st. June 1950 (English Heritage Legacy ID: 222757).
North Walsham, Norfolk - St. Nicholas
St Nicholas, one of Britain's largest parish churches, stands in the centre of the market town of North Walsham. The church was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the change to St. Nicholas only happening in later years after the English Reformation.
The present church was started in about 1330, although a Saxon church was partially enlarged and altered around 1275 as a temporary measure to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding town. Work was interrupted by the Black Death in 1348 and again in 1361. These fatal epidemics resulted in a lack of skilled craftsmen, a fact which necessitated the austere simple tracery in most of the buildings windows. At the time of the Peasants' Revolt in 1381, there was another delay following the Battle of North Walsham, when a large group of rebellious local peasants were confronted and defeated by the heavily armed forces led by the warlike bishop of Norwich, Henry le Despenser.
The church was consecrated by le Despenser at the end of the 14th. century and was completed in 1406, when the town’s population was around 850 and had the benefits of profits from the wool and weaving industries to pay for their new church.
The entrance porch is richly carved and decorated with colourful statues and heraldic emblems. During the medieval period the south chapel area contained a shrine to Thomas Becket, popular with pilgrims making their way to Bromholm Priory at Bacton.
The building contains many unusual features and artefacts which include the intricately carved telescopic baptismal font cover, a massive iron-bound chest with seven locks, medieval misericord seats, the remains of a highly decorated parclose screen with an array of painted saints, a unique Communion Table, and the highly ornate marble tomb of Sir William Paston, 1st. Baronet, (1528 to 1610).
The ruinous tower is a local landmark and stands to a height of 85 ft. (25.9 m). The steeple was the second tallest in Norfolk after Norwich Cathedral, attaining a height of 147 ft. (44.8 m) to the parapet, with a lead covered timber spire reaching to 180 ft. (54.85 m). Local folklore suggests that the spire was added as an act of local rivalry after the completion of the 158 ft. (48.15 m) tower at Cromer church.
The tower collapsed on the morning of Saturday 16th. May 1724, when the entire south-west corner of the structure containing the stairwell failed. The distressed state of the building had been noticed by the Sexton the previous evening when he ascended the tower to wind the clock. That day had seen the six heavy bells rung for several hours during the Ascensiontide Fair. The ringing of the bells combined with a windy day caused a vibration to resonance throughout the structure. The vicar, Thomas Jeffery noted the catastrophe in the parish register,
"Memorandum May 16th. Between nine and ten o'clock in the forenoon on the Sat. fell down the north and south sides of the steeple and no person man woman nor child 'yt we hear of yet getting any mischief thereby. Thanks to be to God for his goodness therein."
The collapse was witnessed by Thomas Cooper Esq. who wrote,
“Between eight and nine a clock in the morning the steeple of North Walsham fell down. It was visibly seen by a great part of the inhabitants to work (crumble) for about an hour before it fell. The Sexton with some others were up the steeple about 2 hours before to wind up the clock, but seeing a shard come down, without winding the clock, he descended to tell the inhabitants, which gave them timely notice that there was so many ye more on that account that see that dreadful sight, ye day before being ye fair day, as is well, many people went up the steeple. It gave such warning and was so long in falling that I bless God no body received any harm. All this I was an eye witness to."
Once open to the elements the building deteriorated further. In 1835 more falls indicated the weakness of the upper stonework. The last major fall was at 6pm on Wednesday 17th. February 1836 when heavy wintery gales brought down the north side of the ruin, sending a quake like tremor through the town. The remaining east belfry wall was later dismantled to a reduced height as a safety precaution. One large window with its distinctive reticulated tracery remains in situ. In 1939 stabilisation work was carried out on the tower, in the hope that one day rebuilding might be possible.
The churchyard is small. The burial registers go back to 10th. October 1541, and give indications of plague and illness that took their toll on the town’s population. In 1558, 110 burials are recorded, well above the average of less than 20 at that time. When the plague struck the town again in 1626 there are 138 recorded burials for the year, 59 in one month alone. There is a note by July 1742, ‘At this time the small pox broke out in the town and continued with great violence for several months’.
The church received Grade: I listed building status on 21st. June 1950 (English Heritage Legacy ID: 222757).