Easy cycling around Fleggburgh & Thrigby

The present church, with its thatched nave, is built on earlier foundations and dates from the 14th century. The first known rector in 1315 was John de Wyklewode. The tower, containing five bells which were rehung in 1886, was built in the 15th century.

The oldest item in the church is the font, made from Purbeck marble, which dates back to the 13th century. Filby has one of the best surviving 15th-century rood screens in the area, considered second only to the one at Ranworth, which is painted with eight figures. From north to south the panels feature St. Cecilia with her floral wreath, St. George killing a dragon, St. Catherine with her sword and wheel, St. Peter with his keys, St. Paul with his sword and book, St. Margaret killing a dragon, St. Michael weighing souls and St. Barbara holding a tower.

This church, dedicated to St Mary, is an ancient structure of stone and flint and the tower retains a fire place and flue which, long ago had a oven used for the purpose of baking the wafer bread. Regular services are no longer held at St Mary’s.

This is a well preserved, thatched, round tower church. The village of Mautby dates back to before the Domesday Book, which shows that there was a village, mill and seven salt works (the sea was closer then). By 1199 the Lordship had passed to the De Mautby family, who held it until James I. Margaret was the daughter of John de Mautby and married John Paston in 1440. Many of the famous Paston letters were written by her whilst living locally. They are the first examples of family letter writing and give a good picture of life during the War of the Roses. They are now housed in the British Museum. She was buried in the south aisle to the right of the door, sadly neglected during the 17th and 18th century and pulled down.

Made famous in a episode of “Some Mothers Do Have Em” when Michael Crawford came through the Chancel roof! The church was almost derelict and has been gradually restored with help from English Heritage and the Norfolk Churches Trust.

St Andrew’s church dates from the 13th century, but various Norman mouldings point to an even earlier building on this site. The first Rector to be recorded was Thomas de Ormesby in 1283. This church has some of the finest brasses in Norfolk. The earliest depicts Sir Edmund Clere in a cumbrous helmet with raised visor and is dated 1488.

All that remains of All Saints Church is the chancel, the nave, south porch and tower having been in ruins since the great gale on 15 July 1762, when this building was at the same time struck by lightning and burnt out. Services are still held here occasionally, mostly during the summer months.