Norwell St Laurence

Official Listing Description

SK 76 SE

4/87

11-8-61

G.V.

 NORWELL

MAIN STREET
(south side)

Church of St. Lawrence

Grade I

Parish church. C13, C14, C15, C16, C18, restored 1874 by Ewan Christian. Coursed and coursed squared rubble, dressed stone, ashlar, with ashlar dressings. Slate and plain tile roofs. West tower, nave, north aisle and north transept, south aisle and south transept, chancel, south porch. Chamfered and moulded plinths, coped and crenellated east gables with crosses, rainwater heads dated 1874. West tower, 4 stages, C13, with additions C15 and C18. 4 string courses, eaves band, 4 gargoyles, crenellated parapet with 4 crocketed pinnacles. Pyramidal roof with wind vane. To west, 2 diagonal buttresses, 4 setoffs, that to south west inscribed ‘Gervis Downing & Samuell Curtiss Churchwardens 1713.’ First stage has to south a single lancet. To west, restored doorway with hood mould and above, single lancet. To its left, 2 stair lights. Second stage has to south, single lancet. To west, single lancet and stair light. Above, clock. To north, single lancet. Third stage has 4 paired C13 lancets with chamfered mullions. Fourth stage has 4 C15 triple lancets in splayed and rebated reveals with four centred arched heads. North aisle, 2 bays, C14, has sill band, coved eaves, coped west gable. 2 corner buttresses to north west, 2 setoffs plus plinths, that to west gabled. West end has restored C14 triple lancet with Decorated tracery, chamfered mullion and reveal, and hood mould. North side has central C14 doorway with hood mould and mask stops and remains of crocketed finial. Flanked by single early C14 double lancets with chamfered mullions and reveals and hood moulds. North transept, C14, single bay. Sill band, chamfered eaves, moulded coped parapet. 2 diagonal buttresses, 2 setoffs. North side has restored C14 triple lancet with reticulated tracery, coved mullions, chamfered and rebated reveal, and hood mould. Nave clerestory, C15, has coved eaves and crenellated parapet. On each side, 5 triple lancets with triangular heads and cupsed lattice tracery. Flat-arched heads, coved mullions, coved and roll moulded reveal, linked coved hood mould. Chancel, C13, 3 bays, has C19 coved eaves band with decorative bosses, and to east, 2 diagonal buttresses, 3 setoffs. North side has 3 restored single lancets. East end has 5 light lancet, c1300, with geometrical tracery, coved mullions,chamfered reveal and hood mould. South side has central shouldered priest’s door in chamfered reveal, and above it, C13 lancet with hood mould. To right, a similar lancet, and to left, a C15 triple lancet with cusped transom, Decorated tracery, splayed mullions, chamfered and rebated reveal, and hood mould. South aisle, C14, 3 bays, has coved eaves and crenellated parapet. East end has early C14 triple lancet, restored, with cusped heads, geometrical tracery, splayed mullions, chamfered reveal and hood mould. South side has to east a C14 double lancet with geomtrical tracery. splayed mullions, chamfered reveal, and hood mould. West end has restored C14 quadruple lancet with ogee heads, cusped geometrical tracery, splay mullion, chamfered and rebated reveal and hood mould. South transept, late C14, single bay, 2 pairs of corner buttresses to south, single plain buttress to east, corner pilasters with rebated corners, sill band, chamfered eaves band, crenellated parapet. South and east sides have each a triple lancet with cusped ogee heads, splayed mullions, chamfered and rebated square headed reveal. South porch, C14, has plain tile roof and coped south gable with cross, double chamfered and rebated south doorway with octagonal responds, moulded bases and capitals, and hood mould. Interior has stone bench to west, and C19 scissor braced principal rafter roof with ashlar pieces. South doorway, late C12, has rebated and roll moulded round head, coved responds and small engaged shafts. Outer order has similar shafts with moulded bases, waterleaf capitals, chamfered square imposts. C19 door. Nave south arcade, C13 and C14, 4 bays, has to east 2 round piers with square plinths and water holding bases, octagonal waterleaf capitals. To west, C14 pseudo-pier with half round respond. West bay has 2 moulded imposts with dogtooth. Double chamfered and rebated arches with mask and beast stops. North arcade, C14, 4 bays, has to east 2 octagonal piers with chamfered bases and complex moulded capitals. Chamfered pseudo-pier to west has moulded base and capital, and half round respond to east. To west, 3 moulded imposts, one with dogtooth. Chamfered and rebated arches. C19 low pitched roof in C15 style. Plain corbels, curved braces and chamfered principal timbers. Tower arch, C13, double chamfered and rebated, with filleted responds with moulded capitals and bases. Flanking shafts to responds. Panelled timber screen, 1967. Above, swell organ on brackets. Tower chamber has patterned stained glass in west window, and chamfered doorway to tower. North aisle has C14 pitched roof with cambered tie beams, tenoned purlins and chamfered timbers. East window has stained glass by Kempe, 1903. North transept has chamfered and rebated arch to north aisle, with, to north, mask corbel and moulded sill band. North wall has C14 tomb recess with segmental head, chamfered and with flanking shafts with moulded capitals. To its right, C13 aumbry with hood mould and mask stops. Above, stained glass window, c1898. South east corner has steps leading to cove moulded C13 entry to rood stair. Good C15 roof, low pitched, deeply moulded principal timbers and rafters, large foliate central and flanking bosses, single mask boss. South aisle has east window with C19 stained glass. South side has, to east, C14 arch to south transpet, double chamfered and rebated. with keeled responds, moulded octagonal capitals and round bases. To west, C14 tomb recess with moulded pointed head, hood mould and round shafts. C19 roof, low pitch, with cambered tie beams, chamfered timbers, plain corbels and curved braces. South transept has in south east corner a combined aumbry and piscina, C14, with cusped trefoil head, foliate and mask spandrels, and hood mould with mask stops. To its right, tomb recess, C14, with segmental head, coved and keeled roll moulded, with shaft responds, hood mould and mask stops. Trefoiled rear panel. C19 low pitched principal rafter roof. Chancel arch, C13, double chamfered and rebated, with hood mould and moulded conical imposts. To its left, opening to rood loft, with segmental head. East end has C19 reredos, ashlar, 3 bays, with 2 flanking openings each side, and crocketed gable. Probably by Ewan Christian. East window has stained glass, 1908, probably by Kempe. South side has to east, round headed chamfered piscina with slab inscribed ‘Chancel restored AD CVIIILVIII’. C19 principal rafter roof with collars and very long arch braces. Fittings include C19 chamfered and panelled benches, some pierced. Pulpit by Ewan Christian. Ashlar, panelled, with marble flanking shafts. c1874. Plain C19 lectern with octagonal stem. C18 communion table, moulded top and stretchers and bulbous legs. C19 stalls with carving and traceried panels. C20 clergy desk. C19 font with octagonal base, square stem with 4 flanking shafts, chamfered octagonal bowl with incised panels. Monuments include foliated cross slab, early C14 female figure, C14 effigy of Knight, said to be Sir John di Lisure, 1330. C14 mask corbel in north transpet. Alabaster Renaissance revival style wall monument with square foliate panel carrying central inscribed slate tablet with moulded edges, scrolled apron and flanking Ionic columns on brackets. Entablature has ogee central gable containing foliate panel with Arms and motto, and above, damaged half height effigy. To Elizabeth Ayloff, 1629. Brass with Arms to Edward and Anne Dallow, 1657-58. 2 convex marble wall tablets with moulded bases and curved heads with angels, 1755 and 1772. Lozenge shaped tablet, 1788, marble and slate tablets, 1813 and 1842. Brasses 1864 and 1882. 2 wooden war memorials, 1918 and 1945. 2 C20 memorials.