All Saints Church - Horsford

Welcome to the Parish Church of Horsford, one of the three churches that makes up what is known as the Horsford Benefice.

• The Church is open daily between 8.30am to 7pm: April - September and 8.30am to 5pm October - March, all Sunday and Mid-week services are published on the Calendar - Horsford Benefice
• All Saints Church is a FairTrade Church and Eco Church Silver Award.
• If you are looking to arrange your wedding, or a christening or need more information about funerals or any Life Event services at All Saints Church Horsford, St. Margaret's Church Felthorpe, or St. Mary & St. Botolph Church Hevingham, please do contact Revd Margaret.  Thank you.

• You can find information about the history of the church building below, the oldest building in the village of Horsford.
• Read the Annual Report for All Saints Church 2024.

Church history

• The first record of Horsford is its entry in the Doomsday Book of 1086.
• The present church was begun at the beginning of the 12th century, being constructed of flint and freestone. the styles of architecture are mainly Early English with later additions. Like many Norfolk churches it has been repaired, extended and altered over the years, so it is difficult now to say how it might have looked originally.
• The nave was started soon after 1100, being made of well-coursed flintwork. From the outside can be seen, particularly at the east end of the nave, low down in the south wall, a number of courses of regularly banded unknapped flints. This is evidence of a building technique commonly used in the 11th and 12th centuries. Outside, on the south wall, the height of the original Norman nave is indicated by a line of knapped flints just below the later brick and flint courses. The pitch and height of the roof probably matched that of the chancel.
• The tower was not begun until 1456 and it was probably a long and interrupted project, rather than a complete construction followed by repairs. Construction of the tower may have coincided with the alteration to the roof height of the nave. There was an appeal for funds in 1493 and the tower was ready for bells to be hung in 1506, when there is record of a bequest for the provision of a bell. One bell remains, inscribed "Anno Domini 1565" which is still able to be rung. Unusually for a tower of this date, there is no external door at the west side. Through the vestry at the base of the tower, toilet facilities have quite recently been installed.
• The north aisle existed or was built around 1458, for it is mentioned as having been provided with donations for its construction in wills of that year. Drastic remedial work had to be carried out in the 1860's because the aisle wall and pillars were leaning outwards. The east window of the aisle contains the only medieval glass in the church. In 1986/7 the window was re-glazed, with addition of the medieval glass, and dedicated as a memorial to Harry Sole by his widow, Rosetta.
• The chancel was probably built at the same time as the nave. There is still a hint of a curve in the sanctuary area which may be the remnants of a pre-Norman early 11th century apse. Outside, repairs had been carried out in 1703 to the east gable, this date is marked on the outside of the gable end wall. Inside, the position of main altar in the sanctuary was changed in 1956. the original altar table was placed at the east end of the north aisle creating the Lady Chapel. A new main altar was created by Harry Sole, a highly skilled joiner and churchwarden. A new oak pulpit was made in 1958.
• The screen between the chancel and the nave dates from the late 15th century and was formerly vaulted on both sides.
• The organ gallery was built in 1993 to house an organ acquired from Horsham St. Faith. The previous organ had been at the east end of the north aisle until 1956 when the lady chapel was created and the organ moved to the west end of the aisle. This is currently the kitchen/ refreshments area.
• Memorials in place around the church mainly commemorate the Barrett-Lennard and Day families. The Barrett-Lennards arrived at the Time of the Norman conquest in 1066; Sir Richard Barrett-Lennard being the last of the line. The Day family lived in Horsford Hall, opposite the church; Apparently it was remains of members of the Day family that were discovered in a vault under the floor during the renovations of the mid-1950's.
• (Parish Registers dating from 1591 are held in the Norfolk Record Office).

St. Margaret's Church - Felthorpe Parish

St Margaret of Antioch: Felthorpe

Welcome to the Parish Church of Felthorpe, one of the three churches that makes up what is known as the Horsford Benefice.

• The Church is open daily between 9 am to 4 pm
• All Sunday services are published on the Calendar - Horsford Benefice
• St. Margaret's Church is a FairTrade Church and Eco Church Bronze Award.
• If you are looking to arrange your wedding, or a christening or need more information about funerals or any Life Event services at All Saints Church Horsford, St. Margaret's Church Felthorpe, or St. Mary & St. Botolph Church Hevingham, please do contact Revd Margaret.  Thank you.

• You can find information about the history of the church building below.

Read the Annual Report for St. Margaret's Church 2024

A Church Near You - St. Margaret Felthorpe

Church history

• St Margaret of Antioch may not have been a real person but she is known to the church as the Patron Saint of Women and Nurses, especially those involved with childbirth and the welfare of babies. She is considered a Virgin & Martyr of the 3rd/4th centuries AD. It is said she may have been the daughter of a pagan priest who cast her out because she became a Christian. She caught the eye of the Governor of Antioch but because she was a Christian she would not accept his advances. She was therefore persecuted and tortured.
• In medieval times St Margaret's Felthorpe was one of 58 Norfolk churches dedicated to this saint. The church is basically 14th century, although there is belief that, due to its construction, part of the west wall of the north nave may have belonged to an earlier church. The whole church is covered by sloping tiled roofs which sweep down to cover the nave, aisle, chancel and vestry.
• The tower which dates from the 14th century is unusual in that it is wider north-south than it is east-west. It has large diagonal butresses at each corner. The parapet however, with its spikey pinnacles is later. With thick walls, there is little internal floor space and it contains a single bell. The bell was cast in 1634 and bears the mark R.B. It is still rung on occaision today. 
• The south aisle was added in the 19th century and its windows, which are all different, were made by reusing the old stones from the south wall. At the same time, piers and arcading were made on the south side to match the medieval piers on the north side, but instead of stone they were constructed in brick and covered with plaster.
• The chancel was restored in the 19th century but still has one south-facing window with fine decorated tracery. Much of its walls were re-faced with cut flints. The east window is part of the 19th century restoration work and on the north side of the chancel is a vestry which covers a blocked-up window on the east wall. This was known as the Bilney Chapel, the road which runs past the church is still know as Bilney Lane.
• There are three octagonal pillars to each arcade, and near the north west pillar is the victorian font with carved quatrefoils around its bowl and wrought iron scroll-work supporting a cross on top of its cover. The chamber organ has now been moved to the west end of the south aisle leaving space for a childrens' area at the east end.
• All the windows were reglazed around 1878 using stained glass to create a colourful but quiet atmosphere inducive to prayer and meditation. The elimination of all clear panes was intended to emphasise the glow of coloured light. The nave windows, set by 'Ward & Hughes' depict the Miracles of Christ. at the same time painted patterns and texts were put around the arches, quoting the Beatitudes, these have since been whitewashed over.
• The east window of the chancel portrays three scenes from the life of Christ: the Nativity, the Crucifixion and the Angel outside the empty tomb. This is in memory of Colnel Claud  Bouchier who died in 1877, it has his coat of arms in the bottom left and a representation of his Victoria Cross, awarded during the Crimea War, in the bottom right. the other window in the chancel shows the Ascension and is in memory of Major James Bourchier who died in 1886. 
• Major Bourchier was responsible for some of the 19th century restoration work, other work having been conducted by Mrs Fellowes earlier in the century. Mrs Lawrence did further restoration work in 1936, it was she that presented the church with the parish bier, which is in the church to this day.

St. Mary the Virgin and St. Botolph Church Hevingham

St. Mary the Virgin and St. Botolph, Hevingham

Welcome to the Parish Church of Hevingham, one of the three churches that makes up what is known as the Horsford Benefice.

• The Church is open daily between 9 am to 4 pm
• There are no regular Sunday services at Hevingham, however special services are held at Easter, Christmas and Remembrance and are published on the Calendar - Horsford Benefice
• If you are looking to arrange your wedding, or a christening or need more information about funerals or any Life Event services at All Saints Church Horsford, St. Margaret's Church Felthorpe, or St. Mary & St. Botolph Church Hevingham, please do contact Revd Margaret.  Thank you.

• You can find information about the history of the church building below.

A Church Near You - St Mary and St Botolph Hevingham

Bird's eye view of the church

Read the Annual Report for St. Mary and St. Botolph 2024

Church history

• The village is documented in the Domesday Book where it is recorded as "Heuincham", a manor where one freeman, a priest, is recorded as holding 40 acres in alms for the King". William the Conqueror confirmed the priest’s holding on the strength of his promise that he would sing three masses every week for Duke William’s soul and the souls of his relations. The priest subsequently bequeathed his holding to the Bishop of Norwich and all successor bishops, In 1250 the manor passed to the then Bishop of Norwich, Walter de Suffield, who built there a grand moated palace in which, over the years, many other bishops resided. That manor appointed the Rector.
• St Mary the Virgin and St Boltoph's church was mainly built in the 14th century but parts of the church may date back to the Norman period. Built of flint with stone dressing and a mixture of lead, tile and slate roofs, it is situated one mile north of the village centre, dedicated to St Botolph the patron saint of wayfarers. The old rectory built in 1788 for the Reverend J. Alderson, is now a care home.
• The 14th century nave with its particularly beautiful period windows had trancepts built on the north and south sides in the 15th century. The nothern trancept contained a chapel dedicated to St. John the Baptist and the chapel in the south trancept dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin. Only the south trancept remains, as the northern trancept was demolished in 1594, and the materials used to maintain Rippon Hall, a nearby manor house. The outline of its archway is still visible on the north wall of the nave.
• The chancel although looking of early english style is actually a Victorian rebuild, and its windows, installed at that time, are simply Gothic Revival.