Description

NORHAM CHURCH LANE
NT 8947
12/82 Church of
22.12.69 St. Cuthbert

GV I

Parish church. Later C12, probably by Richard of Wolviston for Bishop Puiset.
East bay of chancel added early C14. Tower 1837, south porch and aisle 1846,
by I. Bonomi. North aisle and transept 1852, by D. Gray. Old parts squared
stone, later parts dressed stone with ashlar dressings. Aisles have Welsh
slate roofs, other roofs not visible.

West tower, nave with aisle and south porch, north transept, chancel with
north vestry.

Broad rectangular west tower with large 2-light round-headed bell openings
divided by colonnettes with waterleaf capitals. 6-bay nave. To left gabled
south porch with Romanesque-style doorway: 2 orders of columns with waterleaf
capitals, chevron-moulded arch. Windows have similar detail.

6-bay chancel. Bays one to fiveare genuine Romanesque of the highest quality.
Finely-moulded plinth, the bays -divided by very flat buttresses; Plain round-
headed priest's door in 3rd bay. Above, set high in the wall, 5 round-headed
windows, shafted with waterleaf capitals. The arches are elaborately moulded
with enriched chevrons set at right-angles to the wall, and an outer flat
chevron frieze which continues across the buttresses. Corbel table with
moulded corbels. Right bay has renewed Decorated 2-light window. Plain
parapet. Renewed 5-light Decorated east window.

North wall of chancel has 5 plainer Romanesque windows. On north aisle wall
2 plaques recording dates of restorations, architects, church wardens etc.

Interior: 5-bay south arcade (a painting of before the tower was built shows
7 bays); round pierswith octagonal abaci, waterleaf capitals and finely-
moulded arches, a chevron frieze above. The north arcade is of 1852 but one
of the bases and the semicircular east respond are original. Splendid chancel
arch with 3 orders of columns, waterleaf capitals and roll-moulded arches.

In the chancel a large Decorated tomb recess with open-traceried gable,
containing the effigy of a knight. C14 piscina. Chancel north wall has large
recumbent effigy of Rev. Gilly in a Romanesque-style recess, 1855 by J.G.
Lough. Wall tablets to William Alder, 1800, and Mary Ord, 1810, both by
J. Jobling. Reading desk and pulpit brought from Durham Cathedral in 1840
by the Rev. Gilly. They are mid-C17 in the Cosin style with combined Gothic
and Renaissance motifs. Two flower stands of similar style and period,
acquired mid C20: Also 2 clergy stalls in the chancel re-made in the C19 but
incorporating earlier C17 carving. In the tower arch an C18 organ case. In
the tower a large and very fine carved wood Royal Arms of Charles II. In the
north aisle a composite pillar made up of many Anglo-Saxon cross fragments.

South aisle, wall monument to Jane, Lady Blake, 1827, a figure weeping on a
sarcophagus.

Source: North Durham: Raines: London, 1852.

Listing NGR: NT8968447411

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17527737

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.

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  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
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