NHER 5553 (Building record) - All Saints' Church, South Lynn

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Summary

Unusually set in the middle of a 1950s housing estate, this is the oldest parish church in Lynn, dating back to the 11th century and rebuilt in the 14th and 15th centuries. The west tower collapsed in about 1763 and the west end was rebuilt in yellow brick and topped with a Victorian bellcote. On the chancel are traces of outbuildings and a chapel, probably 14th century, that are generally believed to have been the home of an anchorite hermit. Inside are a medieval nave roof, font and screen.

Protected Status/Designation

Listed Building (II*) 1195345: CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS

Location

Map sheet	TF61NW
Civil Parish	KING’S LYNN, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

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Full Description

All Saints' church
Has anchorite's cell attached.
Press cuttings (S1) to (S5) and minutes (S6) in file. Listed (S7).
E. Rose (NAU).

The west wall was rebuilt after the tower collapsed in 1764.
Described as 'best Ely bricks' these have diagonal skintlings and are in English bond.
Information from [1].
E. Rose (NLA), 28 May 1998.

Church is Grade II*.

See notes in file referring to discovery in 1842 of piscina and arch and the restoration of the church by Mr Newman.
E. Rose (NLA), 9 July 2002.

In 1843 W. Taylor found the old font in a garden and returned it to the church. Money was voted by the West Norfolk Ecclesiastical Architectural Society to restore it.
E. Rose (NLA), 23 April 2003.

Guild of the Holy Trinity 'founded within the parish Church of All Hallowes in Sowthelen'.
From (S8).
J. Allen (NLA), 3 July 2003.

See NHER 63547 for details of churchyard gates formerly recorded under this number.
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 3 February 2020.

Associated Sources (14)

--- SNF7576 Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 470-472.
--- SNF74618 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. Discover the forgotten glory of our sacred spaces. 8 May.
--- SNF77574 Photograph: 2010. Photograph of All Saints' Church, South Lynn, Norfolk.. Digital.
--- SNF57722 Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
--- SNF8804 Secondary File: Secondary File.
--- SNF50995 Unpublished Document: James, E.M.. 2002. Notes/ Historical Research.
<S1> SNF7492 Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1991-1993. [Articles on the restoration of the anchorite's cell at All Saints' Church, South Lynn].
<S2> SNF64938 Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1996. [Articles on the damage caused by a storm at All Saints' Church, south Lynn].
<S3> SNF64942 Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 2000. Lynn church's £1/4m appeal to go worldwide. 14 March.
<S4> SNF64943 Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 2000. Stained glass window marks start of restoration of church. 11 August.
<S5> SNF64954 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2002. Money helps to beat the death-watch beetle in roof. 7 October.
<S6> SNF52378 Unpublished Document: 1843. Minutes of the West Norfolk Ecclesiastical Architectural Society.
<S7> SNF48662 Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1195345.
<S8> SNF47529 Article in Serial: Wood, R. 1999. The Chantry Certificates of Norfolk: Towards a Partial Reconstruction. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIII Pt II pp 287-306.

Site and Feature Types and Periods (2)

Object Types (1)

FONT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Related NHER Records (1)

Geographical: NHER 63547 - Parent of: Gates into churchyard of All Saints' Church, South Lynn (Structure)

Find out more...(1)

King's Lynn (Parish Summary)

Record last edited

Mar 18 2025 12:27AM