Interior looking West, Trunch
St Botolph's church at Trunch is marked by its tapering west tower, each storey of which seems to diminish in size. Otherwise it appears to be a handsome if fairly ordinary East Anglian church, its finest features awaiting discovery within.
Open entering by the south door the visitor is immediately confronted by the single feature that makes this church famous, the unique font canopy that dominates the west end of the nave. It is an astonishing piece of early 16th century woodwork, six spindly wooden columns (some leaning alarmingly) straddle the font and crown it a flourish of canopywork which retains some original colouring and was once adorned with groups of carved figures (clearly including at least three Crucifixion groups judging by the ghostly shapes left behind). The whole structure is adorned with carved tendrils of foliage in which all sorts of creatures are hidden (the longer we examined this the more we found!). There are only four such medieval font canopies surviving in the country, two being in Norfolk (the other being less well preserved).
The church would be renowned for its woodwork even without the font canopy, the nave roof being a fine piece of medieval construction adorned with traceried panels and small figures of angels. The rood screen also survives and is still adorned with a row of painted apostles at its base, though sadly many of the figures have been defaced by the zealots of the Reformation. Beyond this in the chancel is yet more medieval furniture, with the stalls including six carved misericords.
The church is normally open and welcoming and one of the most rewarding in the area, and unforgettable for its font canopy.
Interior looking West, Trunch
St Botolph's church at Trunch is marked by its tapering west tower, each storey of which seems to diminish in size. Otherwise it appears to be a handsome if fairly ordinary East Anglian church, its finest features awaiting discovery within.
Open entering by the south door the visitor is immediately confronted by the single feature that makes this church famous, the unique font canopy that dominates the west end of the nave. It is an astonishing piece of early 16th century woodwork, six spindly wooden columns (some leaning alarmingly) straddle the font and crown it a flourish of canopywork which retains some original colouring and was once adorned with groups of carved figures (clearly including at least three Crucifixion groups judging by the ghostly shapes left behind). The whole structure is adorned with carved tendrils of foliage in which all sorts of creatures are hidden (the longer we examined this the more we found!). There are only four such medieval font canopies surviving in the country, two being in Norfolk (the other being less well preserved).
The church would be renowned for its woodwork even without the font canopy, the nave roof being a fine piece of medieval construction adorned with traceried panels and small figures of angels. The rood screen also survives and is still adorned with a row of painted apostles at its base, though sadly many of the figures have been defaced by the zealots of the Reformation. Beyond this in the chancel is yet more medieval furniture, with the stalls including six carved misericords.
The church is normally open and welcoming and one of the most rewarding in the area, and unforgettable for its font canopy.