All Saints, Runhall, Norfolk
Peter Stephens, with whom I experienced beforehand visited this church in 2006 and with whom I was below yet again these days, observed that All Saints appears to be like as if a large had squashed it between his arms ahead of it had established. It is of program the missing chancel which provides it this visual appeal, together with the significant perpendicular home windows at the east finish of both equally the south and north partitions.
Lots of chancels fell into disuse immediately after the Reformation. There could even now be a sacramental use for them in the type of the quarterly communion assistance some chancels, Tilney All Saints for example, were fitted out in the 17th century for this pretty goal. But the communion ceremony could be as very easily carried out in the nave if there was a will or need to have to do so. If a chancel fell into disrepair it was normally blocked off and authorized to wreck, not minimum since the repairs of the chancel was the accountability of the rectory, not the parish the beneficiary of the rectory money would seem usually to have shrunk from this duty.
At Runhall, the chancel suffered a fireplace in the late 16th century, and was demolished, the arch crammed in. Two piers nevertheless task a little bit from the east conclusion they are the western edges of the window tracery. What seems to be a stuffed-in doorway is a 19th century memorial.
The environment is beautiful. The churchyard is together a narrow lane in a maze of other narrow lanes to the south of Mattishall, with only a pair of properties for company. When I might previous occur this way in 2006 I would considered the church was locked, but on that occasion I found that you have to transform the take care of the other way, and it opens. I did this these days and it nevertheless wouldn’t open up – but by pushing difficult I got it to go – the base of the doorway has swollen up and is urgent into the stone beneath.
As you would anticipate, the church is relatively square inside. The former chancel arch is marked by a recess in the east wall, and a simple altar and curtained reredos is set in it. But the most noteworthy feature of the inside is at the west finish of the church, behind the 14th century font with its quatrefoil styles. This is the doorway into the base of the tower. The ironwork is from different intervals, but some of it has been recognized as 12th century. The woodwork of the door has been repaired, but it is possibly modern day with the earliest ironwork, and presented that the tower is Norman at the foundation, it is most likely the initial doorway to the tower, an remarkable believed.
A lengthy green curtain serves as a reredos in entrance of the blocked chancel arch, with an similarly very long 19th Century enamelled indication higher than proclaiming that as normally as ye try to eat this bread and consume this cup ye do shew the Lord’s dying till he come.
Driving the pulpit in the east wall is an graphic market that should after have served a nave altar, a further ghost of the previous. Its colouring looks initial, probably 600 a long time previous. Right now, the cheery kneelers and practical organ are marks of a normally liked and used English region church. Even on a chilly working day it feels a pleasant spot.
Posted by Simon Knott on 2014-11-01 18:01:36
Tagged: , Runhall , Norfolk , church , churches , East Anglia
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