I revisited a week later and found it open as advertised and it's a fantastic interior with loads of interest.
ST PETER AND ST PAUL. The best church in its neighbourhood, and very spectacular to look at, with its picturesque, short C15 lead spire rising out of a crown of eight flying buttresses. The tower itself is of c.1300 below - see the W doorway, the W window (cusped intersected tracery), the tall niches on the W buttresses at the level of the W window, the bell-openings (cusped Y-tracery), and the tower arch. The S aisle must be structurally of c.1300 too, see the one surviving window head now covered by the porch, but visible from inside. This, with its trefoiled circle, may even be a little earlier than the tower. The chancel seems Dec, in spite of the Perp windows. It has one S window with a reticulation motif and towards the N vestry a seven-foiled circular window. The arcades inside (five bays) are a little later; late C14 probably. The piers are quatrefoil with four thin shafts in the diagonals on the N side, four spurs instead on the S side. Arches with two sunk quadrant mouldings. The chancel arch of the same type. The capitals are already polygonal. Later Perp S porch and clerestory. This work and the spire may belong to the time of Sir William Chamberlain (d. 1462) and Sir Robert Wingfield (d. 1480), husbands of Anne Harling, i.e. to c.1440-75. S porch with flushwork-panelled exterior. Clerestory of nine closely set three-light windows, shafted inside. There is also an E window above the chancel arch. N aisle windows Perp with two-centred arches, S aisle tall with four-centred arches. The N chapel has its windows also with four-centred arches. The interior is made splendid by the roofs and the fitments. The nave roof is of unusually steep pitch. It has hammerbeams with finely traceried spandrels, arched braces on them carrying on right up to the ridge, wall-shafts, and longitudinal arched braces.
FURNISHINGS. FONT. Big, octagonal, with panelled stem and quatrefoils against the bowl. - SCREENS. Of the rood screen there is only the base, richly traceried and coloured. Along the top quatrefoils in pointed, cusped, diagonally placed quatrefoils. - The screen to the S chapel has three-light divisions and its ribbed coving. - At r. angles to this screen a third and earlier one. Shafts instead of mullions. - Finally a part of a fourth screen has become the front of a bench in the S aisle. The part is the tops of ogee-headed one-light divisions, and some cresting. - STALLS. With figures and animals on the arm-rests and MISERICORDS with shields. - BENCH ENDS. With poppy-heads. - MISCELLANEOUS WOODWORK. Jacobean panels in the S lobby. - A length of a wall-plate (?) under the tower arch. - STAINED GLASS. In the E window twenty panels of original glass from the Annunciation to the Pentecost and Sir William Chamberlain and Sir Robert Wingfield kneeling. - PLATE. Chalice, Paten Cover, and Paten (Norwich), inscribed 1706.
MONUMENTS. Two alabaster effigies, Knight and Lady, of the Harling family (unicorns on the jupon). They lie (wrongly) on the tomb-chest with quatrefoiled front and under the cusped and subcusped canopy of Sir Robert Harling d. 1435. The cusps are demi-figures of angels, an eagle, a pelican. - Sir William Chamberlain d. 1462. Big monument between chancel and N chapel. Tomb-chest with shields on its front. Canopy with vaulted ceiling and panelled sides with niches for figures. Broad diagonal buttresses. Top with ogee arches on pendants. Top frieze with shields and fleurs-de-lis. - Sir Francis Lovell d. 1551 and Sir Thomas Lovell d. 1567. Identical monuments, very dignified, without any figures and almost without any decoration, either in the Early Renaissance fashion of before 1550 or in the strapwork fashion of after. Curiously shaped inscription plates. Fluted columns l. and r. Top with a semi-circular gable in the middle. - Sir Thomas Lovell d. 1604. Alabaster. Two recumbent effigies on a tomb-chest. In front of this three columns. On the top achievement and two obelisks. Original iron railing in front.
EAST HARLING. Highways and byways lead to this small market town with about a thousand folk, which has its finest possession in a pretty corner by the River Thet. We mean, of course, the lovely old grey church, arresting in its beauty as it stands on a slope above the stream, elms and willows for its background, and wallflowers, stocks, and forget-me-nots blooming in its churchyard. A bridge close by, a watermill with a wooden gable, and the old dovecot with its thousand nests all add to the charm.
The church is a handsome picture in this scene, with its tower and spire, the tall aisle windows, the lovely clerestory, the steep lead roof, and the fine porch. The tower has a lovely crown of pierced battlements, with corner pinnacles and robed figures; and over it rises the delicate spire covered by lattice work, open at the base and supported by flying buttresses. It was the pattern for the spire of St Peter Mancroft Church in Norwich. Begun in the 14th century it was re-fashioned in another 100 years when the rebuilding of the church was begun by Sir William Chamberlain and finished by Robert Wingfield, the first two of Anne Harling’s three husbands.
The great charm of the church is in the lofty nave. The clerestory rises above arcades with clustered columns, and has a fine array of nine windows on each side. From it grows the magnificent hammerbeam roof, one of the noblest in the county. The beams are richly carved and modern stone angels support the shafts between the windows. Both aisles have old panelled roofs adorned with angels. Across the chancel arch, which has two windows above it, is the base of the old oak screen with its original red, gold, and green, its rich carving, and a battered Crucifixion scene with a curious sleeping figure at the foot of the Cross. The Harling chapel has its old roof, and a beautiful screen with its original colour, a fan canopy, tracery tipped with roses, and much heraldry. Quaint figures and faces peep from the spandrels, and in the panels are birds, owls, dragons, men, and a squirrel eating a nut.
Six miserere stalls in the chancel are in perfect state. The armrests are carved with a pelican and her young, a lion, an ancient warrior with shield and sword flung back to strike, a dragon with its tongue out and a long twisting tail, a unicorn, and an eagle. Traces of old wall painting show quaint figures, one creeping on all fours.
The wonderful 15th-century glass in the east window is a great treasure, the gift of Sir Robert Wingfield, who finished rebuilding the church in 1480. He himself is at the foot of the window, kneeling on a blue cushion, wearing armour with tabard of red, gold, and black, and with his helmet at his side. The rest of its score of pictures tell in glowing colour the greatest story in the world. We see the Madonna in blue as she hears the message of the golden-winged Gabriel, and a picture of the first Christmas morning shows her crowned and adoring the Babe in the manger. Another Bethlehem scene shows the Shepherds with the oxen peeping over the wall; and another shows the Wise Men. There is the Temple scene with Simeon holding the Child, Mary in blue, and Joseph with the doves; and Jesus with the Doctors. Others are of the Miracle at Cana, the Day of Pentecost with the crowd in red and blue, Judas giving the kiss of betrayal, Christ before Pilate, and the Crucifixion. In the Ascension scene the crowd is gazing upward, and the Madonna is in glory with a yellow light and angels about her.
Sir Robert Harling, who rebuilt the chapel, has a magnificent altar tomb with a canopy most richly carved. His sword and both his arms are gone, but his helmet is still on his fine head, and his feet are on a lion. His wife Joan, heiress of the Gonvilles, is a dainty figure at his side, her robe beautiful, her headdress rich, her feet on a head. Her figure is lying free, and is thought to have been brought here from Rushford not far away, where she is believed to lie. Sir Robert was a soldier who served under Henry the Fifth.
A mass of fine carving is the beautiful chancel tomb of Sir Robert’s daughter Anne and her first husband, William Chamberlain. Their brasses are gone, but the tomb is carved with shields, and its vaulted arch with five canopies is adorned with heraldry. Sir William was governor of a town in France when it was besieged by the French, and he bravely marched out with 500 Englishmen.
On an alabaster tomb of much splendour, its canopy adorned with coloured shields and pinnacles, lies Sir Thomas Lovell, a majestic Tudor figure in armour with a long sword at his side, his head on a helmet, his feet on a bundle of peacock’s feathers. His hands are at prayer, and his face is that of a resolute soldier. His wife lies at his side in a gown and ruff, her head on an embroidered cushion, and her feet on her father’s crest.
There is a brass telling of Thomas Boston Wilkinson, who spent 67 of his 90 years in service, being curate and rector here last century.
The church is a handsome picture in this scene, with its tower and spire, the tall aisle windows, the lovely clerestory, the steep lead roof, and the fine porch. The tower has a lovely crown of pierced battlements, with corner pinnacles and robed figures; and over it rises the delicate spire covered by lattice work, open at the base and supported by flying buttresses. It was the pattern for the spire of St Peter Mancroft Church in Norwich. Begun in the 14th century it was re-fashioned in another 100 years when the rebuilding of the church was begun by Sir William Chamberlain and finished by Robert Wingfield, the first two of Anne Harling’s three husbands.
The great charm of the church is in the lofty nave. The clerestory rises above arcades with clustered columns, and has a fine array of nine windows on each side. From it grows the magnificent hammerbeam roof, one of the noblest in the county. The beams are richly carved and modern stone angels support the shafts between the windows. Both aisles have old panelled roofs adorned with angels. Across the chancel arch, which has two windows above it, is the base of the old oak screen with its original red, gold, and green, its rich carving, and a battered Crucifixion scene with a curious sleeping figure at the foot of the Cross. The Harling chapel has its old roof, and a beautiful screen with its original colour, a fan canopy, tracery tipped with roses, and much heraldry. Quaint figures and faces peep from the spandrels, and in the panels are birds, owls, dragons, men, and a squirrel eating a nut.
Six miserere stalls in the chancel are in perfect state. The armrests are carved with a pelican and her young, a lion, an ancient warrior with shield and sword flung back to strike, a dragon with its tongue out and a long twisting tail, a unicorn, and an eagle. Traces of old wall painting show quaint figures, one creeping on all fours.
The wonderful 15th-century glass in the east window is a great treasure, the gift of Sir Robert Wingfield, who finished rebuilding the church in 1480. He himself is at the foot of the window, kneeling on a blue cushion, wearing armour with tabard of red, gold, and black, and with his helmet at his side. The rest of its score of pictures tell in glowing colour the greatest story in the world. We see the Madonna in blue as she hears the message of the golden-winged Gabriel, and a picture of the first Christmas morning shows her crowned and adoring the Babe in the manger. Another Bethlehem scene shows the Shepherds with the oxen peeping over the wall; and another shows the Wise Men. There is the Temple scene with Simeon holding the Child, Mary in blue, and Joseph with the doves; and Jesus with the Doctors. Others are of the Miracle at Cana, the Day of Pentecost with the crowd in red and blue, Judas giving the kiss of betrayal, Christ before Pilate, and the Crucifixion. In the Ascension scene the crowd is gazing upward, and the Madonna is in glory with a yellow light and angels about her.
Sir Robert Harling, who rebuilt the chapel, has a magnificent altar tomb with a canopy most richly carved. His sword and both his arms are gone, but his helmet is still on his fine head, and his feet are on a lion. His wife Joan, heiress of the Gonvilles, is a dainty figure at his side, her robe beautiful, her headdress rich, her feet on a head. Her figure is lying free, and is thought to have been brought here from Rushford not far away, where she is believed to lie. Sir Robert was a soldier who served under Henry the Fifth.
A mass of fine carving is the beautiful chancel tomb of Sir Robert’s daughter Anne and her first husband, William Chamberlain. Their brasses are gone, but the tomb is carved with shields, and its vaulted arch with five canopies is adorned with heraldry. Sir William was governor of a town in France when it was besieged by the French, and he bravely marched out with 500 Englishmen.
On an alabaster tomb of much splendour, its canopy adorned with coloured shields and pinnacles, lies Sir Thomas Lovell, a majestic Tudor figure in armour with a long sword at his side, his head on a helmet, his feet on a bundle of peacock’s feathers. His hands are at prayer, and his face is that of a resolute soldier. His wife lies at his side in a gown and ruff, her head on an embroidered cushion, and her feet on her father’s crest.
There is a brass telling of Thomas Boston Wilkinson, who spent 67 of his 90 years in service, being curate and rector here last century.
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