NHER 10419 (Building record) - St John the Baptist's Church, Reedham

Almost entirely constructed of reused Roman materials, partly of tile. The church dates from around 1100, suggesting a cruciform church, with traces of 13th century chapel remianing. The church is largely constructed of Lincolnshire cretaceous stone, about 1300 and late 15th century (tower). Church gutted by fire 1981 and internally rebuilt; medieval tiles found at this date. Important terracotta monuments. Extension constructed 1988 revealed post-medieval tombs and a medieval bulla.
See references (S1) and (S2).
Building report (S3), architectural plans (S4), correspondence (S5), photographs (S6), historical notes (S7) and press cuttings (S8) and (S9) in file.
Listed (S10).
E. Rose (NLA) 10 January 1995.

May 1999.
For further notes on the grey stone, see file for NHER 1001. A Wealden source is suggested. However, the stone actually came from the Snettisham area (S11).
D.Gurney (NLA), 25 May 1999.

For the source of the grey stone or silver carr, probably Castle Rising, see NHER 56217.
D. Gurney (HES), 31 October 2011.

October - November 2013.
Geophysical (GPR) survey by the University of Reading. According to those undertaking the work the preliminary results suggest that there is a structure under the nave of the church. They also suggest that at a slightly higher level there are traces of what looks more certainly like an earlier phase of the church (S12). Report to follow.
D. Gurney (HES), 11 November 2013.

April 2016.
Excavation of two or more trenches in the churchyard by the University of Reading, exploring geophysical anomalies; one south-west of the tower and the other immediately west of the tower. The former recovered scattered bones and, at depth, one coffined burial (not excavated). Bones were reburied in the trench. The other trench by the tower revealed rubbly layers that might be related to the construction of the tower or, less likely, robber trenches for an earlier building. No clear evidence of a Roman building or earlier church was encountered. Report to follow.
Reused Roman material is also noted in the churchyard wall, including grey stone and roof tile. How old is the wall?
D. Gurney (HES), 15 April 2016.