The Interior

The Nave is very Saxon in its dimensions being 18ft x 52 ft. W J Goode tells us that very few, if any, Norman naves are less than 20ft wide. In addition, the west wall has a rebate at 22ft, above which can be seen the rough infilling of window clearly indicating that the tower was built onto the existing church. Most probably since Saxon churches were in the main of wooden construction this is most probably a norman stone construction on a very similar footprint of a wooden saxon predessessor. The church would have been built with an apsed chancel it is believed this would have been squared off at a later stage, indeed there are signs in early prints that the join has failed in the south chancel wall and there are still signs of repair to the north wall that can be seen today.

The southwest door is of 14th Century origin and the fine old wooden lock still works, having been restored by a parishioner Jack Bareham in the 1970’s. The north door was renewed in 1990, made by a local craftsman, Andrew Driver and funded by the Friends of the Church.

The Tower

In the tower there are two bells that can be rung (2005). One bell was originally cast by John Darbie in 1678. The other cast by John Goldsmith of Redgrave in Suffolk in 1712 and recast in 1928 by Gillet and Johnston of Croydon now carrying the names of the Rector (The Rev HAW Blathwayt)and two churchwardens (Mr HN Caton and Mr SL Stannard) of the time. It is said that there were three bells in 1552 but one was sold to Hoxne across the river. We have recently been very busy in the bell tower painting up all the metalwork and sweeping up many years worth of dust and debris. In addition we have fitted struts to the bell wheels to give them a little more strength and all of the woodwork sprayed with an insecticide for added protection. Finally whilst up there we have painted the weather vane on the roof.
See here for a small collection of photos of the work being done.

The tower also has a Fireplace and Chimney in its north wall which is very unusual and is contemporary with the tower’s construction. Interestingly the opening on the north side which provides the hearths chimney and the opening in the south wall of the tower are clearly contemporary. The small grate in the south wall served as a draw oven for the coal-burning stove that still sits under the grating in the Nave aisle.

Looking at the west wall two recesses at about 12 and 20 ft clearly indicate an early date. The infill of the original west window can be seen between the two. Since there is no sign of this internally in the tower this would suggest that the tower was added to the existing church. Most likley being contemporary with the south nave windows which are C13-C14. A time of great prosperity with the wool trade at its height. Indeed it is this period which saw many of our parish churches built and thus the addition of tower and windows here are an indicator of this wealth.

The Screen

The Screen in the vestry arch was installed recently in memory of the 100th Bomb Group that was based at nearby Thorpe Abbotts airfield during the Second World War (see notice board for information).

The Font

The octagonal freestone font of the “evangelistic” style once had a smooth surface, having been in filled with plaster at the time of the Civil War. So we now find ourselves with a 700 year old font with carving as crisp as the day it was done not having suffered the attentions of our more puritan worshippers of the C17. The Reverend William Wallace, suspecting the plain surface, discovered the carvings by removing the plaster with his pocketknife during his restoration of the church in the 1850's. Evangelistic fonts, so named because of the carvings of symbols of the four Evangelists, occur in other Norfolk churches but are all within seven miles of navigable water.

Four of the eight sides of the font are carvings of the Evangelists who wrote the four Gospels, Matthew, the winged man, Mark the winged lion, Luke the winged ox and John the eagle. These are interspersed with four other carvings, a plain cross for St George, a cross moline, a crown with 2 arrows saltire (crossed) for St Edmund and a merchants mark. Underneath are 8 cherubim. Interestingly there is another font of this type in St Leonards Billingford, our next door church. However it was not so lucky and was clearly damaged probably during the C17.

Royal Coat of Arms

There is a set of Royal Arms(Achievements) of George III (before 1816) on the west wall. The presence of Royal Arms in churches has a fascinating history. After the Reformation many churches replaced the Rood and its figures on top of the screen with Royal Arms of the Head of the Church - Henry VIII or Edward VI - as a token of loyalty. Mary I (a Catholic) ordered their removal, Elizabeth I (a Protestant) their reinstatement! In 1614 the Archbishop of Canterbury ordered the painting of Royal Arms in all the churches and chapels within the realm of England, repeated again by the Archbishop in 1631 that they should be repaired or repainted. Many were destroyed in the Commonwealth (after the Civil War) but on the restoration of Charles II in 1660 a statute was passed requiring that the Royal Arms should be displayed in all churches. Many old examples were brought out of hiding and re-painted. The Hanoverians were so concerned over the Stuart pretenders to the throne that again nearly all Stuart Royal Arms were repainted, but often only the fourth quarter was done.

The Lectern

The Lectern is a wooden eagle and is a memorial for the First World War. The Eagle is frequently used for lecterns and is the symbol of St John, the author of the fourth Gospel. The Eagle stands on a sphere, representing the world.

The Organ

The Organ, on the south side, has a balanced selection of stops with a lovely tone was originally a Bates barrel organ built in 1835 and converted to a finger organ by a local firm of organ builders, Raysons of Ipswich, in 1878. Finally much of the old workings were replaced in 1935, there is though some indication that some of the old organ was re used.

The Rood Screen

The Rood Screen, situated under the Rood (Crucifix), separates the Chancel from the Nave. It appears to be medieval, in the perpendicular style (c 1440’s) but has been cut down to fit the sanctuary arch most probably inserted during William Wallace’s restoration in the 1850’s and once had panels in its lower section, on which were paintings of saints. The upper part facing the Altar is carved, but the side facing the Nave is plain. On the north wall of ht echancel is a blocked “lancet” window of the early English period (c1200). In the south wall are two Victorian windows in the decorated style which replaced two square perpendicular style windows and priest door that were there prior to the victorian restoration. Six quite delightful half angels support the Chancel roof, four are praying, the centre on the north has a cross and the centre on the south is playing a lyre.

War Memorials

The church has two war memorials. Two brass plaques remembering those lost in both world wars which are on the north wall of the nave and a wooden memorial that at one time was outside the village post office but removed to the church during the 1930's after it had been vandalised with the words "of the Parish of Thorpe Abbotts" scratched out. This damage was made good during 2005 whenthe memorial was cleaned and all the lettering redone including that which had been removed. Full details of those on all the memorials can be found here. (Follow the link under "England N-Z", then "Norfolk" then "Thorpe Abbotts" )

In addition we have a memorial door to the vestry in memory of those American airmen who lost their lives flying with the 100th Bomb Group in WW II. In addition we have a Stars and Strips Flag which has flown over the White House in Washington DC.