NHER 570 (Building record) - St Martin at Oak Church, Oak Street, Norwich

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Summary

A 15th century flint, brick and stone former parish church, now used as a music conservatoire.

Protected Status/Designation

Location

Map sheet TG20NW
Civil Parish NORWICH, NORWICH, NORFOLK

Map

St Martin at Oak Church, Oak Street.

'In Coslany' R.R. Clarke (NCM).

1954. Listed Grade I.
Listing Description Excerpt:
"Former parish church now redundant and used as hostel. 15th century. Flint with stone and brick dressings. Pantiles on nave, slate on chancel. West tower, nave and chancel. South aisle and porch. Truncated unbuttressed tower. 20th-century west door and window above. Four-bay nave. Three-bay south aisle dating to c. 1491…"
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current details.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 16 January 2018. Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 8 November 2019.

1954. Field Observation.
In alterations to holy water niche in south porch; two late 14th century Nottingham alabaster tablets depicting Resurrection and Beheading of St John were found.
These discoveries were reported in (S2).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 16 January 2018.

1970s or 1980s. Building Survey.
Examined as part of Norwich Survey.
See draft report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 January 2018.

June 1974. Building Survey.
Church assessed by Council for Places of Worship ahead of proposed closure.
See report (S4) for further details, including lists of furnishings, fittings and monuments.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 January 2018.

Converted to night shelter in 1978.

It is noted in (S5) that the date of 1491 for south aisle is taken from the death of Thomas Wilkins who had paid for it in his lifetime so it is likely to be earlier. Date of 1440 for chancel is taken from the fact that there was money from it left over in 1441. The nave was leaded in 1503. In style the nave is Late Perpendicular but the chancel is more Decorated. The rood stair has been made into a chancel door and the chancel arch bricked up. A monument to Jeremiah Revans 1727 with two figures has been removed to 'the museum' (which?).

September 2004.
Noted by A. Rogerson (NLA) when passing over adjacent viaduct that the top of the chancel arch has what appeared to be very early brickwork; it protrudes above the chancel roof and thus is likely to be older than the present chancel roof.
E. Rose (NLA), 6 November 2004.

9 May 2011. Planning Application.
Change of use of former church building from artist studios to music school including internal refurbishment and redecoration works.
See (S3).
Z. Dack (HES), 22 September 2011.

  • --- Article in Serial: Hildburgh, W.L.. 1955. [unknown]. The Connoisseur. Vol XXXV, pp 109-110. pp 109-110.
  • --- Leaflet: Norwich Historic Churches Trust & HEART. St martin-at-Oak, Oak Street..
  • --- Monograph: Batcock, N. 1991. The Ruined and Disused Churches of Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 51. Microfiche 5:G12. No N27; p 175.
  • --- Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 243.
  • --- Publication: 1958. Guidebook to St. Peter Hungate Museum. p 11.
  • --- Publication: Cox, J. C. 1911. Country Churches: Norfolk. Vol II. p 182.
  • --- Publication: Messent, C. J. W. 1932. The City Churches of Norwich. p 52.
  • --- Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Norwich - Post Roman.
  • --- Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 20 NW 131 [2].
  • --- Unpublished Document: Cattermole, P. 1985. Some Norwich Churches as seen in the Obedientiary Rolls of Norwich Cathedral Priory, 1276-1536.
  • <S1> Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1051925.
  • <S2> Serial: 1954. Council for British Archaeology Group VII Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries. No 1. p 2.
  • <S3> Unpublished Report: [Unknown]. 1984. St Martin at Oak [draft report]. Building Report.
  • <S4> Unpublished Report: Council for Places of Worship. 1974. Norwich, St. Martin at Oak (Norwich). Building Report.
  • <S5> Monograph: Pevsner, N. 1962. North-East Norfolk and Norwich. The Buildings of England. 1st Edition. p 247.
  • <S6> Unpublished Document: 2011. Planning Application.
  • SCULPTURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

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Record last edited

Mar 8 2022 3:18PM

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