NHER 3130 (Building record) - St Andrew's Church, Thurning

Basically around 1300.
North aisle has Y-tracery west window. West tower has cusped lancet to west and cusped Y-tracery bell openings; one gargoyle. Nave south windows early reticulated Decorated style. Long chancelcollapsed in 17th century: ruins of north wall remain, south wall was used to build new east wall in which were reset Decorated style window (like south windows) and priest's door with mass dial. Nave north door (blocked) is similar to this with one head stop. Good Perpendicular style east window to north aisle; arcade Perpendicular style but much renewed - evidently an insertion. Two north windows are early 19th century additions. South porch has brick quoins above as if an upper storey has been removed; lower windows blocked. Nave roof of 1825, slate, king post and strut; old roof had much steeper pitch. Box pews, communion rail and sanctuary panelling made by Burrough in 1742, formerly in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, demolished (chapel) in 1823. Panelling added to existing pulpit and tester to form a three-decker. One box pew for each local farm - in aisle and along west wall. Otherwise benches; hat pegs on south wall because men sat on south and women on north. 18th century monuments. Good 17th - 18th century floor tombs. Paten, George II, given 1825; flagon given 1863. Clock in tower 1857. By south churchyard gate is a small stable for worshipper's horses.
Visited by E. Rose (NAU), 25 January 1978.

(S1) notes that the box pews in the north aisle face south but the loose benches face east (the layout of 1825 has been slightly altered). The altar is railed on the three sides.
E. Rose (NLA), 24 May 2002.

Late medieval/post medieval bell frame and post medieval bell.
See (S2) and (S3) in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 18 March 2004.

Two Corinthian columns from Corpus were later taken on to the Hall (NHER 3125).
E. Rose (NLA), 11 October 2005.

This is one of the sixty five Norfolk churches selected for (S4).
D. Gurney (NLA), 17 February 2006.

2006.
1978 description above is basically correct but the south and east windows are probably 40 years later than the work of around 1300. The Perpendicular style arcade may have been entirely reconstructed in 1825 when the woodwork was inserted. During repairs in 2006, many fragments of reused stone were found in the aisle floor, much of which may have been brought from Cambridge.
(S5) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 6 March 2006.

2006.
There are panels of flushwork beneath the aisles, used as foundations for the fantastic box pews. S. Heywood (Norfolk County Council) thinks they may be flushwork parapets which may have come from the chancel. The extant tower does have flushwork parapets. Recommendation made that the panels stay with the church and be put back under the floors with a trapdoor for access to public. (S6).
See (S7).
J. Allen (NLA), 17 May 2006.

2006.
Removal for resoration of the important internal woodwork of the 18th century, brought from the chapel of Corpus Christi College Cambridge in 1825, produced large quantities of reused stone used as supports; some of medieval date perhaps from the demolished chancel but most of an unusual ealry post-medieval Gothick form, which may also have come from Cambridge.
See (S8) and (S9).
D. Holburn (HES), 21 September 2011.