St Mary's Church, Elsing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Elsing |
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St Mary's church from the south
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| 52°42′27″N 1°02′08″E / 52.7076°N 1.0355°E | |
| Location | Elsing, Norfolk |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 30 May 1960 |
| Style | Decorated Gothic |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Elsing: St Mary |
| Deanery | Sparham |
| Archdeaconry | Lynn |
| Diocese | Diocese of Norwich |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Mary's Church is an Anglican church in Elsing, a small village in Norfolk, England. This church was built in the 1300s by a local knight. It has a special style called Decorated Gothic. What's cool is that it looks almost the same today as it did back then!
Inside, you'll find a very important brass monument. There is also a tall old cover for the font (where baptisms happen). You can also see beautiful paintings on the rood screen. The chancel (the part of the church near the altar) still has some stained glass from when the church was first built.
Church History
The village of Elsing had a church way back in 1086. This was recorded in the Domesday Book. The church you see today was rebuilt around 1330. Sir Hugh de Hastings and his wife Margaret built it. Sir Hugh was friends with King Edward III. The king even attended Sir Hugh's funeral.
Some parts of an older church are still in the west wall. Around 1860, old wall paintings were found. They showed four scenes from the story of John the Baptist. One scene showed John preaching. Another showed him leaving prison. The best-preserved scene showed John about to be beheaded. These paintings were later covered up.
The church was on a path for people going to Walsingham. This was a popular place for pilgrimages in medieval times. The church also honored Saint Anne. A painting on the rood screen shows her teaching the Virgin Mary.
In the 1900s, a small organ was added. It was built in 1901 by Norman and Beard.
Church Design
The church is made of flint and stone. It stands in the middle of a rectangular churchyard. The tower at the west end has battlements. These are like small walls with gaps, often found on castles. It also has early examples of "flushwork." This is a pattern made by using flint and stone together.
The main part of the church, called the nave, is very wide. It is almost 40 feet across. This makes it one of the widest naves in Norfolk. It allowed for a large space for preaching. The nave and chancel have battlemented tops. The roof was built in 1781. It is supported by strong wooden beams.
The nave has three large windows on each side. They have a special curvy design. The west door leads into the nave. It is in a style called Perpendicular. There are also north and south doors with porches. These doors have fancy arched tops. The floor is made of buff pamment stone.
The chancel has a large east window. It has five sections and a very detailed curvy design. This window once showed Sir Hugh and Lady de Hastings. They were holding a model of the church. Today, most of the glass is plain.
The south-east window has a small stained glass figure. It shows the Virgin Mary from when the church was built. Another window has two complete figures of apostles. These are from around 1375. The chancel also has simple niches for a sedilia and piscina. These were used during church services. In the southeast corner, there is a small room called a vestry.
Against the south wall is the tomb of Dame Anne Browne. She died in 1623. Her tomb has a black marble lid. The brass of Sir Hugh Hastings has been moved. It is now on a stand in the middle of the chancel.
Hastings Brass
The brass memorial for Sir Hugh Hastings is very special. He died in 1347. It is the largest church brass in England. One expert called it "the most luxurious of all English church brasses." Some parts are missing, but it shows a figure of Sir Hugh. He is wearing armor and praying. Two angels hold his pillows.
Above him, tiny angels receive his soul. Higher up, there is a picture of St George. He is on a horse, spearing a devil. Even higher, there are two plaques. They show the Coronation of the Virgin Mary. Around the main figure, there are four rows of mourning figures. These represent important people like King Edward III. Some of these figures are now missing.
The brass was once decorated with colored glass. It also had colored pastes. Today, it is on a low stand in the chancel. It is kept covered to protect it. There is a copy of the brass in the nave. You can use this copy to make brass rubbings.
Font and Cover
The font is where baptisms take place. It has eight sides and a single stem. It is in the Decorated style. Each side has a wavy pattern with a three-leaf design. Above this, it has battlements.
A very tall and fancy cover hangs above the font. It is suspended by a rope from the roof. This cover is in the Perpendicular Gothic style. It has carved figures in niches. Some of these figures are original. It also has diagonal pierced vanes. These are decorated with rich "crocheting." The cover is topped by a spire and a winged angel.
Church Bells
The church tower has five bells. They are set up for "change ringing." This is a special way of ringing bells in a pattern. However, as of 2010, the bells cannot be rung.
Three of the bells were made in 1622. One was made in 1660. The smallest bell was made in 1705. The Church of England says that three of these bells are historically important. They are good examples of the work of the people who made them. The wooden frame holding the bells is also considered very important.
The Church Today
St Mary's Church is part of a group of churches. This group includes churches in Bawdeswell, Bylaugh, Foxley, and Sparham. The church building was given a special status on May 30, 1960. It is a Grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historic building.
