All Saints, Runhall, Norfolk
Peter Stephens, with whom I experienced earlier visited this church in 2006 and with whom I was here yet again now, observed that All Saints appears to be as if a large had squashed it amongst his hands prior to it had set. It is of program the lacking chancel which gives it this look, along with the enormous perpendicular home windows at the east close of each the south and north walls.
A lot 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, ended up equipped out in the 17th century for this incredibly intent. But the communion rite could be as easily done in the nave if there was a will or want to do so. If a chancel fell into disrepair it was often blocked off and allowed to spoil, not minimum since the upkeep of the chancel was the obligation of the rectory, not the parish the beneficiary of the rectory profits would seem often to have shrunk from this accountability.
At Runhall, the chancel endured a hearth in the late 16th century, and was demolished, the arch stuffed in. Two piers still venture somewhat from the east stop they are the western edges of the window tracery. What seems to be a loaded-in doorway is a 19th century memorial.
The setting is beautiful. The churchyard is together a slender lane in a maze of other narrow lanes to the south of Mattishall, with only a pair of residences for organization. When I’d last appear this way in 2006 I might imagined the church was locked, but on that celebration I learned that you have to turn the tackle the other way, and it opens. I did this these days and it still would not open up – but by pushing tough I received it to transfer – the bottom of the door has swollen up and is urgent into the stone beneath.
As you would assume, the church is fairly sq. within. The former chancel arch is marked by a recess in the east wall, and a straightforward altar and curtained reredos is established in it. But the most noteworthy feature of the inside is at the west close of the church, powering the 14th century font with its quatrefoil designs. This is the doorway into the foundation of the tower. The ironwork is from various periods, but some of it has been discovered as 12th century. The woodwork of the doorway has been repaired, but it is in all probability present-day with the earliest ironwork, and supplied that the tower is Norman at the foundation, it is most likely the authentic door to the tower, an remarkable believed.
A prolonged eco-friendly curtain serves as a reredos in front of the blocked chancel arch, with an similarly long 19th Century enamelled indicator earlier mentioned proclaiming that as frequently as ye take in this bread and consume this cup ye do shew the Lord’s loss of life until he occur.
Powering the pulpit in the east wall is an picture specialized niche that should at the time have served a nave altar, an additional ghost of the earlier. Its colouring appears to be like unique, in all probability 600 many years aged. Now, the cheery kneelers and useful organ are marks of a generally loved and employed English region church. Even on a chilly working day it feels a pleasant position.
Posted by Simon Knott on 2014-11-01 17:46:06
Tagged: , Runhall , Norfolk , church , churches , East Anglia
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