NHER 2252 (Building record) - St Mary the Virgin's Church, Wiggenhall St Mary the Virgin

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Summary

St Mary's Church is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust, and lies redundant. However it has a number of features of particular interest, and these include two Early English style doorways, on the south and north sides of the nave, which have undercut mouldings and two orders of shafts. The rest of the building is Perpendicular in style, and the rendering around the celestory windows covers the fact that this church, like its nearby sister St Mary Magdalen, is built largely of brick. Inside the church contains possibly the largest and most complete collection of early 15th to early 16th century bench ends in the county. Also of interest is the lectern with a large eagle dated to 1518, the brass to Sir Robert Kervile of 1450 and Sir Henry Kervile of 1624.

Protected Status/Designation

Location

Map sheet TF51SE
Civil Parish WIGGENHALL ST GERMANS, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Map

13th century doorways but otherwise all 15th century except perhaps tower base, full of erratics. Excellent 16th century carved pews, lectern, font cover (17th century) and many unusual features.
Tiles found in dry area trench 1983 in NCM.
See (S1) and press cuttings in file.
?Redundant Churches Trust?
E. Rose (NAU), 16 June 1983.

See (S2) and photographs in file.

2007. Brief note of further details including painting on door and tomb inscriptions added to (S3)
E. Rose (NLA), 9 March 2007.

  • --- Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
  • --- Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England.
  • --- Leaflet: 1983. Church of St Mary the Virgin, Wiggenhall..
  • --- Leaflet: 2001. Church of St Mary the Virgin, Wiggenhall, Norfolk..
  • --- Monograph: Bryant, T. H. 1902. Hundred of Freebridge Marshland. The Churches of Norfolk. Vol X. pp 131-139.
  • --- Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 779-780; Pl 48.
  • --- Monograph: Pevsner, N. 1962. North-West and South Norfolk. The Buildings of England. 1st Edition. p 384; Pl 33a.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1984. Library given 'chained book'. 21 September.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1994. Lectern stolen from church. 15 September.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1995. Stolen church treasure lectern is found. 4 October.
  • --- Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1994. Church loses ancient lectern. 14 September.
  • --- Newspaper Article: The Daily Telegraph. 1994. Church theft. 16 September.
  • --- Oblique Aerial Photograph: Various. ? - 2020. Norfolk Air Photo Library: Oblique Collection. TF5814/A-C; 09-FEB-1984 (HES 139/AUC 5-7).
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Unpublished Document: Mackreth, D.F.. 1998. Wiggenhall St Mary, Norfolk, the Church of St Mary the Virgin: Report on Archaeological Observations. 16 February.
  • --- Website: Knott, S.. 2005. St Mary, Wiggenhall St Mary. http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/wiggenhallstmary/wiggenhallstmary.htm. 24 November 2006.
  • <S1> Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 1983. Building Report.
  • <S2> Monograph: Batcock, N. 1991. The Ruined and Disused Churches of Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 51. Microfiche 5:G12. No 33; pp 51, 76-79.
  • <S3> Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • BRICK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FLOOR TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Mar 11 2025 4:03PM

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