Secret Norfolk Churches

All Saints’ Church, Kelling is hidden within woodland near the town of Holt in North Norfolk, on the A148 road to Cromer. ‘Kelling’ derives from Old English and means ‘place of Cylla’s people.’ It is a plain little building and the tiny bellcote gives away its function to a curious passer by. Its generous windows provide a bright and airy space with simple modern fittings. Why is it here? Looking at a map of the area, you’ll see that Kelling Hospital is situated nearby. The church was built in 1924 as the chapel of Bramblewood Sanatorium which treated tuberculosis patients and later formed the core of the current hospital. In 1955 the sanitorium was closed and the chapel was purchased by residents of High Kelling for £500. In 1978 All Saints’ Church was recognised as a District Church within the Parish of Holt.

All Saints and St Andrew’s Church, Tattersett is one of Norfolk’s most remote, reached via a farm track through the maize fields. ‘Tattersett’ derives from Old English and means ‘Tathere’s stable.’ Perseverance is rewarded for the church is delightful in its isolated position above the Tat river valley. The first step is locating the church on an Ordnance Survey Map. You will then notice that it seems to be in Coxford rather than Tattersett and that the remains of St Mary’s Priory (Augustinian) are situated to the south west. The history of the local area reveals a lost world. The priory was founded when the community of Augustinian Canons moved from nearby East Rudham to Coxford in 1216. In 1537 it was dissolved and the site and possessions granted to the Duke of Norfolk. Parts of the masonry remain. The church has lost its original village, which may have been the village of Tattersett St Andrew, but remains an unwavering presence in the landscape. The neighbouring churches of Sengham and Broomsthorpe were not so lucky. All Saints and St Andrew’s Church largely dates to the late 13th century, in the Decorated style, apart from later Perpendicular windows and a Tudor square-headed design. The remains of a wall painting on the south nave wall is difficult to make out. Look out for the Tudor red brick piscina and sedilia.

In 1953 a local newspaper reported that St Mary’s Church, Houghton-on-the-Hill was an ivy-covered ruin. It was to remain in this state for another forty years. ‘Houghton’ derives from Old English and means ‘enclosure on a hill-spur.’ In 1992 Gloria Davey came across the ruin and told her husband Bob, a retired engineer with a long service as a churchwarden. Satanists “were defiling a consecrated church” he said, and realised that he had to do something about the situation. This decision was going to take over the rest of his life. Bob, backed by Norfolk County Council under the Ruined Churches Repair Programme and a few volunteers, cut back the ivy growth, removed vegetation, repaired part of the structure, reroofed the nave and chancel, repointed open and defective joints, inserted honeycomb brickwork blocking to windows and rebuilt the north nave doorway. The interior was cleared, a new floor laid, glass installed in the windows, a path to the church constructed and missing church furniture found. The original bell was found and hoisted. It was in 1996 when a contractor spotted paint in a corner of the nave and suddenly what was just a restoration of an ancient but lowly country church was transformed into an international gem. In 2006 the wall paintings were stabilised by specialist conservators. There are at least six layers of paint at St Mary’s. The original scheme dates from, at latest, 1090 and is visible on all four nave walls. A second, decorative, layer dates from the 15th century and a third is post Reformation text, of which only a fragment remains. In between each is a layer of limewash. The paintings were covered over by, at latest, the mid 18th century, but probably much earlier. Scenes include the Last Judgement, the Creation of Eve and Noah’s Ark. There is no road to this isolated church, just a track at the side of a field.

All Saints’ Church, West Harling is accessed via a stony track through farmland. This leads into a large clearing in a pine forest in the heart of the Brecks. It is not signposted and so a map will come in useful. ‘Harling’ derives from Old English and means ‘place of Herala’s people.’ Perseverance pays off as the first sight of the church sitting all alone against its forested backdrop is particularly memorable. Two conifers frame the view. Finish the last 100m or so on foot across the field. The whole interior reflects the care and interest in their church of the 19th and early 20th century owners of the Hall (now demolished), the Nugent family. In 1902 the church was restored by Sir Edmund Nugent Bart. The family pew has panelling incorporating brass memorials to members of the family, and their coat of arms. Behind the pew is a beautiful piscina (where the priest washed the sacred vessels after Mass) dating to about 1300. Also of interest is a brass on the chancel floor depicting the Revd Ralph Fuloflove in his Mass vestments (d. 1479). Look out for the ancient iron-bound oak chest and a 14th century stone coffin. The vestry dates in its present form to the 19th century; it was formerly a burial place for the Croftes family. Richard Croftes was an MP in the late 18th century and is buried in the churchyard.

Barmer, whose village and church are mentioned in the Domesday Book, consists of a couple of farms and a handful of cottages. ‘Barmer’ derives from Old English and means ‘Bera’s pool.’ The church stands completely isolated over 400m from the nearest habitation and sits camouflaged in clump of oaks, elms and sweet chestnuts on top of a hill with an unmarked path leading up to it. A Saxon settlement once occupied this hill. The Norman round tower and nave survive. The chancel and north aisle were in ruins by the early 17th century and the church was described as ‘very ruinously decayed in every part thereof.’ Services were infrequent in the truncated building which no longer served as the parish church. A major restoration by the Victorians saw rebuilding, reflooring and reroofing. The bill of £662 (around £40,000 in today’s money) was paid by Revd E. Kerslake. In the second half of the 19th century the church was only used as a mortuary chapel and as a mausoleum for the Kerslake family (the eastern half of the nave contained catacombs). Above the door is an unusual cast iron tympanum depicting the Kerslake coat of arms. In 1978 the church was declared redundant and leased to the Norfolk Churches Trust.

A brief glimpse of the tower of St Peter’s Church can be seen from the B1159 road from Stalham to Bacton. Turn at the next right down a farm track and the church will hove into view, sitting prettily in its well-kept churchyard next to the grand farmhouse. ‘Brunstead’ derives from Old English and means ‘broom covered place’ (a large shrub with yellow flowers). A church has served God and people in this parish for almost a thousand years. There is no electricity here, and the oil lamps poignantly represent a bygone era. Look closely at the east window and you will see that the coat of arms to the left of St Peter is the same as that on the memorial to Cubitt, William and Ann Durrant on the north wall of the nave. A tablet on the floor of the nave reads “This church was restored and repaired at the sole expense of the Rector, the Revd. H.N.W. Comyn and his wife Elizabeth Comyn 1867”. The Revd. Horatio Nelson William Comyn was the son of Nelson’s chaplain and was baptised on board H.M.S. Victory. On the First World War memorial plaque are the eight names of the lost men, while on the right is the roll of honour of twenty other men who went to fight and returned home. Losing a third was about average for a rural English parish. It is likely that many worked for the neighbouring estate. Four Bullocks and four Gladdens are mentioned. It would be hard to imagine today that you could find so many young men living in the parish.

St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Bittering Parva is not visible from the country lane and is easy to miss. ‘Bittering’ derives from Old English and means ‘place of Brihthere’s people.’ The surrounding area is seeped in lost history, and the church almost went the same way. This charming church was declared redundant in the 1970s but is now in the care of the Diocesan Churches Trust. Across the road, the bumps in the field are all that is left of the medieval village of Little Bittering. Just to the north of the church was a moated Elizabethan manor house, demolished in the 19th century. To the south was Bittering Hall, home of the Wilberforce family. This was demolished in the 1980s and its parkland turned over to gravel quarrying. The church comprises a nave and chancel under one roof and is only 50ft long by 18ft wide. Mainly Early English in style, dating to the mid 13th century, lancet windows sit alongside later simple Perpendicular windows. Inside, there is a similarly unassuming Norman font. Other features include a Jacobean pulpit and benches, a 15th century wooden screen and a 13th century sedilia and piscina in the chancel. Don’t miss the ancient stone coffin lids.