NHER 3275 (Building record) - St Mary Magdalen's Church, Sandringham

A 14th and 15th century parish church of carstone with stone dressings, originally consisting of a west tower, nave, chancel and south porch. It was transformed by 19th century rebuilding, firstly in 1857, then in 1890, when transepts, a north aisle and a south chapel to the chancel were added and the interior rebuilt. Inside, the nave roof is from 1921, that of the chancel 1890. As a result of connections with the Royal family, who have regularly attended services for more than a century when staying at Sandringham House (NHER 3272), it is at first hard to take in all the interior fittings, the chancel being the most lavish of all Norfolk parish churches. There is no part of the chancel that is not either painted or encrusted with rich decorative schemes, almost all of which were introduced after 1910 as a memorial to Edward VII and paid for by the Royal family and friends. The fittings include a solid silver altar and reredos of 1911 and 1924, an oak and silver pulpit of 1924, an aluminium and ivory statuette of St George of 1892 and a 16th century Spanish silver processional cross. There are also memorials to Queen Victoria, Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, George V and Queen Mary and George VI, though of course none of them are buried here. Some fragments of medieval stained glass survive, but most of the glass is 19th and 20th century. A tomb slab of 1544 with brasses is set against the porch wall. In the churchyard to the west of the tower is a 10th century inscribed square font cut from a solid block of marble, a gift from the then Duke of Edinburgh in 1886.