Thetford: St Mary the Less
Diocese of Norwich
Closed Church, 626459
This church is on the Heritage at Risk Register (verified 2024-11-14)
View more information about this church on the Heritage at Risk website
Overview
Grid reference: TL 867 828
The font and a single doorway give evidence of a Norman church on this site. The mediaeval details remaining today suggest that most of the building has early Perpendicular origins, but it was in decay soon after the Dissolution, being repaired by Sir Richard Fulmerstone (d.1567) whose monument is in the church. In 1805, Blomfield reports a church with west tower, nave, chancel and south porch, all but the tower being thatched. The restoration of 1850, however, included the rebuilding of the chancel, the replacement of all the roofs and addition of the north aisle, so that relatively little of the earlier work is left un-touched.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
West tower, nave with north aisle and south porch, chancel with north organ chamber.
Description of Archaeology and History
The font and a single doorway give evidence of a Norman church on this site. The mediaeval details remaining today suggest that most of the building has early Perpendicular origins, but it was in decay soon after the Dissolution, being repaired by Sir Richard Fulmerstone (d.1567) whose monument is in the church. In 1805, Blomfield reports a church with west tower, nave, chancel and south porch, all but the tower being thatched. The restoration of 1850, however, included the rebuilding of the chancel, the replacement of all the roofs and addition of the north aisle, so that relatively little of the earlier work is left un-touched.
Exterior Description
C11 foundation, fabric mainly late C14. West tower rebuilt C15 (donations 1427-1451). Chancel rebuilt C19. Flint, re-used ashlar and clunch with ashlar dressings. Chancel in gault brick. Slate roofs. Nave, north aisle and chancel. 3-stage west tower with flushwork plinth and stepped diagonal buttresses. 4-centred west doorway, the arches moulded. Above is a C19 three-light Perpendicular window. String courses between floors. 2-light cusped belfry windows north and south below crenellated parapet. Gabled south porch with multiple roll-moulded arch. South nave with stepped side buttresses and three 2-light C19 windows. North nave aisle lit through two 2-light and one 3-light Y-tracery windows, also C19. Gabled nave and chancel roofs. Chancel south with two 2-light C19 windows.
As listed on Historic England website
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
1865
East window: three lights depicting the Crucifixion with the Twelve Apostles in the tracery lights.
Stained Glass
1868
South Chancel I: depicting The Three Maries at the Sepulchre. Rather Pre-Raphaelite in character. Date of death commemorated 1868.
Stained Glass
South chancel II: Noli Me Tangere, by the same maker as the adjacent.
Stained Glass
South nave I: The Marriage at Cana. Elaborate decorative trails of fofoliage at the top and bottom of the lights and in the tracery contrast with the badly faded scene. It is a memorial to members of the Bidwell and Surtees families.
Stained Glass
c.1850
South nave II: Patterned glass from around the time of the 1850 restoration.
Stained Glass
1888
North aisle I: Dorcas in the centre light undistinguished. Date of death 1888.
Stained Glass
1884
North aisle II: Well Done Thou Good and Faithful Servant': by Ward and Hughes, date of death 1884.
Interior
Interior Description
Inner south doorway with C19 mouldings. C16 porch roof with rafters and purlins. Canopied statuary niche over door. Wave-moulded tower arch. C19 tower screen. C12 north doorway within later aisle: one order of shafts rising to cushion capitals with a roll-moulded arch. 2-bay north arcade of polygonal piers with circular east-west responds and stilted arches. C19 nave roof with hammerbeams on arched braces. Wave-moulded chancel arch. North chancel chapel with stilted double-chamfered arch to chancel. No capitals. Single-chamfered arch to north nave aisle. Boarded chancel roof of 1891. C19 font. South nave aisle with an exploded tomb-chest embedded in wall to Sir Richard Fulmerston, 1567. Over north doorway a second inscription to Sir Richard, 1566. (The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: North-west and South Norfolk: Harmondsworth: 1962-: 341).
As listed on Historic England website
Fixtures and fittings
Font (object)
The Font has a square Norman bowl with canted corners, the faces of the bowl decorated near the rim with semi-circular incisions suggesting arcading. At the corners are rudimentary volutes. The bowl stands on a later mediaeval moulded octagonal base.
Altar
Late 19th Century
The Altar Table is of oak, about nine feet long.
Stall
The choirstalls have pitch-pine ends with robust poppyheads.
Organ (object)
The organ, probably by a local maker, although no maker's plate survives, has two manuals with tracker action and pedals with pneumatic action. There are eighteen spooking stops.
Screen
c. 1891
The screen dates from about 1891, consisting of a wide central bay flanked by three narrow bays on each side, each with a cusped and crocketted canopy.
Pulpit
1891
The front of four wooden panels approached by steps with an oak rail.
Lectern
The lectern is wooden, an eagle on a pedestal.
Pew (object)
The pews, which are numorous, are of varnished deal with poppyhead finials of heavy design.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TL 867 828
Burial and War Grave Information
The church/building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
The churchyard is closed for burial by order in council.
The date of the burial closure order is 08/02/1955
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Submit a change
If you notice something incorrect or missing, please explain it in the form below and submit it to our team for review.