Description

TF 6837 HEACHAM CHURCH LANE
(north) and
9/3 HUNSTANTON ROAD
(east)
5/6/53
Church of St. Mary
the Virgin.

G.V. I

Parish Church. Late C13 cruciform plan with C15 and later alterations. Flint
and slated nave, aisles, south porch, clerestorey, crossing tower;and flint,
carstone and lead roofed chancel. West gable large 5-light Decorated window
divided by battlemented transoms, elaborate tracery in head. Buttresses.
South aisle 4 3-light Perpendicular windows with hood moulds; north aisle
4 similar windows, C19 tracery. Perpendicular clerestorey, 4 rounded oculi
on south, 4 quatrefoils on north. Central crossing tower with higher roof
pitch visible, transepts replaced by c.1800 vestry on south with 3-light
switch tracery window with east and west south walls of transepts retained
as buttresses, on east with blocked perhaps Decorated window. Tower with
south-east stairs turret, 2 blocked lancets on north and south faces, 4 belfry
oculi, brick battlements and C18 hood and leaded cupola. North transept
replaced c.1800 with additional east bay continuation of the north aisle,
with 3-light switch tracery window and massive carstone buttress wedge rising
to height of bell chamber with openings at this level. Chancel flint, clunch
and carstone chequerwork, on south early C19 straight headed 3-light switch
tracery window and 4-light east window. c.1300 south priest's door, early
C19 lean-to vestry on north. South porch Perpendicular, knapped flint south
face to churchyard, rubble flint east and west, stone dressings, niche with
miniature vault. Early C19 brick dressings. Interior: springing of no longer
extant vault, south door c.1300 2 orders of detached shafts with bases
and capitals, richly moulded arch. Nave 5 bay north and south arcades c.1300,
alternating octagonal or cylindrical piers with seat-bases, capitals, double
hollow chamfered arches, hood-moulds with carved head label stops. Crossing
c.1300 but altered : western arch tallest with octagonal half columns carrying
stilted arch with some red scroll painting, and on east return detached shafts
cut off below capital level. North arch with 3 attached Early English style
shafts with bases and capitals, to south octagonal corresponding with those
of nave. East arch and piers, scroll work c.1300. St. John Baptist figure
painting on south west crossing pier. c.1500 rood screen, one-light divisions
and tracery panels. Stalls mid C19. Lack of sedilia and piscina suggests
c.1800 truncation or rebuilding of chancel. Monument 1830 to Nicholas Styleman
Esq., by J.B. Armer, Snettisham, sculptor on Adam/Neo Classical style of
c.1775. Nave : square stone font with quatrefoils, set on cruciform steps.
Good collection of C18 wall tablets to Rolfe family of Heacham Hall, 8 Rolfe
hatchments. Royal Arms George III. North aisle tomb Jacobean classical 1625
to Robert Redmayne; standing monument, stone, slate and polychromy.

Listing NGR: TF6813037968

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26346194

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)