St Andrew's Church, Frenze facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Andrew's Church, Frenze |
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St Andrew's Church, Frenze, from the southwest
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| OS grid reference | TM 136 804 |
| Location | Frenze, Norfolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Andrew |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 7 December 1959 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Tudor |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone with tiled roof Brick porch |
St Andrew's Church is a very old church in a quiet part of Norfolk, England. It's near a village called Scole and a town called Diss. This church is no longer used for regular services, so it's called a "redundant" church. But don't worry, it's looked after by a group called the Churches Conservation Trust. They make sure old churches like this stay safe and sound. St Andrew's is a special building, listed as Grade I, which means it's very important historically. You can find it next to Frenze Hall, close to a walking path called Boudica's Way.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
This church was built a very long time ago, in the early 1300s. Imagine, that's over 700 years ago! The front entrance, called the south porch, was added later, in the early 1500s. A small tower for a bell, known as a bellcote, was built even after that.
Even though St Andrew's Church isn't used for regular Sunday services anymore, it's not forgotten. Sometimes, special events or services are still held there.
What the Church Looks Like
The main part of St Andrew's Church is made of stone. It has a large open space called a nave, but it doesn't have a separate chancel (which is usually where the altar is).
Windows and Porch
The window at the very front (east side) has three sections, called "lights." The windows on the north, south, and west sides each have two lights. The porch, which is the entrance, has a pointed roof like a triangle (gable). It's made of brick and built in a style called Tudor architecture. Strong supports called buttresses help hold it up. The side walls of the porch have windows with brick dividers, called mullions.
The Bellcote
Look up towards the back of the church's roof, near the west end. You'll see a small structure called a bellcote. This is where the church's single bell is kept. This bell was made in 1707 by someone named Joseph Goldsmith.
Inside the Church
When you step inside, you'll see some amazing old things. There's a big wooden pulpit from the early 1600s. This is where the priest would stand to give sermons. It even has a special roof-like cover above it, called a sounding board or "tester," which helped the sound carry better.
You'll also spot a large, enclosed box pew from the same time. This was a private seating area, often used by important families who owned the land nearby. Some of the wooden benches in the church are even older, from the 1400s! One of these benches has cool carvings on its ends, with designs called tracery and decorative shapes called poppyheads.
The baptismal font, where babies were baptized, is shaped like an octagon (eight sides) and dates back to the 1300s. Above the south door, you can see a Royal coat of arms, which is a symbol of the King or Queen.
There are also two special stone basins called piscinae, one on each side of the church. These were used to wash the sacred vessels during services. The church also has seven brasses. These are engraved metal plates, mostly remembering members of the Blennerhassett family. The oldest one is from 1475.
See also
