NHER 6238 (Building record) - St Nicholas' Church, Salthouse

The Norfolk Heritage Explorer is a filtered version of the Norfolk HER intended for casual research. Please contact us to consult the full record.

Summary

This church is a handsome example of late Perpendicular style, having been rebuilt by Sir Henry Heydon in the late 15th century. The west tower is from the earlier church, traces of which can be seen to the north, and has bell openings. The rest consists of a clerestoreyed nave and chancel in one with north and south aisles and a leaded roof, and north and south porches. The interior is full of light, with tall and narrow aisles windows and an enormous east window. Most of the tiled floor is original. The splendidly preserved 15th century carved octagonal font has evangelist and passion symbols on its faces and smiling lions at the angles. The remains of a repositioned screen have painted saints, and on their rear, graffiti of ships, which can also be seen on the choir stalls. In the graveyard outside, which has interesting gravestones, a ruined chapel was excavated in the 1930s. Following restoration to the war memorial (NHER 63907) the original memorial plaques were retained and placed in the church porch.

Protected Status/Designation

Location

Map sheet	TG04SE
Civil Parish	SALTHOUSE, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Map

Find a placename, postcode or grid reference

Map layers

Base layers

Info

Record list

Tools

Full Description

Foundations of earliest church seem to lie under churchyard to north. Oldest part of present structure seems to be 14th century base of tower though there is a round-headed arch from church to sacristy and a re-used window of about 1300. Main body of church, on a usual plan with internal chancel and tall windows, dates from the 1480s to 1510. Good wood work with graffiti of ships; font; part of stone coffin memorial; original tiled floors. In churchyard, ruined chapel excavated in 1930s which produced pottery, tiles and metal work. Good gravestones in yard. Deposits of floor and roofing tiles found in churchyard.
Church is listed Grade I, chapel Grade II. (S1)
See detailed report (S18), press cuttings (S9) and (S15), correspondence (S16), photographs (S19) and pamphlet (S7) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 6 November 2000.

Summer 1936 and 1937. Excavation.
Information from journal article (S6)

1998. War Memorials Trust restoration.
Following restoration to the World War One Memorial (NHER 63907) situated in the churchyard, the original plaques for the World War Two and Cold War Additions were retained and placed in the church porch (S22).
See Listing Description for NHER 63907 (S22) for further details. War Memorials On-line (S23) for images, and the War Memorials Trust (S24) for details on restoration.
P. Beers (HES), 24 April 2020.

This is one of the sixty five Norfolk churches selected for a list of England's thousand best churches (S17).
D. Gurney (NLA), 17 February 2006.

Associated Sources (25)

--- SNF8804 Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1> SNF48662 Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1152302 and 1049840.
<S10> SNF65853 Publication: Norfolk Heritage. 1977. Water Transport in Norfolk. Salthouse church graffiti.
<S11> SNF86289 Article in Serial: Eden, P. 1980. Salthouse Church. The Archaeological Journal. Vol 137 pp 347-348.
<S12> SNF67211 Monograph: Mortlock, D. & Roberts, C.. 1981. The Popular Guide to Norfolk Churches.. No 1.
<S13> SNF48773 Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1994. TG0743/F - h, J - N, p - U, W - AA; TG0843/H.
<S14> SNF58263 Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 655-656.
<S15> SNF67207 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1998. [Photographs of St Nicholas' Church, Salthouse].
<S16> SNF67209 Correspondence: Various.
<S17> SNF62471 Publication: Jenkins, S. 2000. England's Thousand Best Churches.
<S18> SNF99775 Unpublished Document: Rose, E. 2000. Building Survey.
<S19> SNF49287 Photograph: Rose, E.. 2001. TWV 3 - 15.
<S2> SNF57722 Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
<S20> SNF52607 Publication: Fiddian, V. (ed). 2003. Salthouse. The story of a Norfolk Village.
<S21> SNF101554 Website: 2010-. Norfolk Medieval Graffiti Survey. http://www.medieval-graffiti.co.uk/. 5 May 2022. Catalogue (favourite sites) - Salthouse [accessed 5 May 2022].
<S22> SNF48662 Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1456624.
<S23> SNF100208 Website: War Memorials Trust. 2014 - 2024. War Memorials Online. https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk. 15 January 2024. Reference WMO103853 [Accessed 24 April 2020].
<S24> SNF100422 Website: War Memorials Trust. 2012-2018?. War Memorials Trust Show Case Result, Honing. http://www.warmemorials.org/. 26 April 2020. Showcase Result, Salthouse [Accessed 24 April 2020].
<S3> SNF97838 Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S4> SNF648 Monograph: Cromwell, T. and Cotman, J. S. 1818-1819. Excursions through Norfolk.
<S5> SNF4914 Monograph: Bryant, T. H. 1902. Hundred of Holt. The Churches of Norfolk. Vol IX. pp 127-133.
<S6> SNF2059 Article in Serial: Linnell, C. L. S. 1941. Some Notes on the Ruin in Salthouse Churchyard. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXVII Pt III pp 345-350.
<S7> SNF67210 Publication: Linnell, C.L.S.. 1953. Salthouse Church.
<S8> SNF82071 Leaflet: Saint Nicholas' Church, Salthouse..
<S9> SNF82 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1976. Salthouse under siege. 1 May.

Site and Feature Types and Periods (5)

Object Types (17)

Xtile pavement (Undated)
DOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FLOOR TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FONT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
INSCRIBED OBJECT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
PISCINA (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
ROOD SCREEN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
ROOF TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
STAINED GLASS (WINDOW) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
WINDOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
COIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
TOKEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
VESSEL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Related NHER Records (0)

Find out more...(3)

Record last edited

Jan 7 2025 12:12PM