Norwich: St Peter Parmentergate
Overview
Grid reference: TG 233 83
The church is a plain but well proportioned example of the Norfolk style of the late fifteenth century. The west tower in particular has excellent proportions but comparatively little decorative detail.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
West tower, aisleless nave with two-storeyed south porch; chancel with two-storeyed vestry at the east end.
Description of Archaeology and History
The present building is late fifteenth-century in date, and there were a number of benefactions, doubtless in connection with the rebuilding, in 1486. The church was restored in the nineteenth century, especially in 1861. It replaces an earlier building of Norman date said to have been founded by Roger Bigod who, having come over with William the Conqueror, had charge of Norwich Castle and assisted with the building of the Cathedral, to whose prior he gave the endownment and patronage of this church.
Exterior Description
The church is a plain but well proportioned example of the Norfolk style of the late fifteenth century. The west tower in particular has excellent proportions but comparatively little decorative detail. It is of three stages with slender receding diagonal buttresses atthe angles which rise as far as the parapet. The stair turret at the west end of the south wall also rises thus far, and is lit by small groups of four circles pierced in one stone. The west front has a doorway at the foot with a moulded arch and rectangular label, the spandrels carved with seated figures of a man and a woman, each with identifying shields, he holding a model of the church, she with her rosery. Above the doorway are four shields in a row with coats of arms which probably represent those who contributed to the c.1486 rebuilding (such as the Albany, Broom and Clifton families). Immediately above a stringcourse comes the west window of three cusped ogee-headed lights with panel tracery and a hoodmould returned at the ends. The next stage, separated by a plainly moulded stringcourse, has small square sound-holes at the base of the north, west and south walls with pierced stone tracery of groups of six quatrefoils round a central quatrefoil. The uppermost stage, which houses the bells, has tall three-light openings in each face with cusped ogee heads and panel tracery similar to the west window. These are filled with wooden louvres. The parapet has double stepped battlements, the central merlon on each side having simple flushwork decoration of two little arches save for that on the east, towards the street, which has the crossed keys of St. Peter. There are no pinnacles and the horizontal mouldings at the corners suggest that there never were any.
The nave is of four bays with a tall window in each bay of the side walls cave for the westernmost on the south, which is occupied by the two-storeyed porch. The equivalent window on the north is shortened to allow a doorway, now long blocked, below. This has a finely moulded surround and shields in the spandrels. The windows are unusual in having no cusps to the four main lights or the panel tracery above. The bays are divided by tall slender buttresses. The porch at the south-west has a moulded doorway with square hood-mould and shields in the spandrels in the lower stage with paired windows in the side walls and a floor of relaid ledger slabs. The upper storey is lit by a pair of lights above the doorway and the stair which gives access has irregular small lights pierced through the walls of its turret in the north-east corner with the nave. The third turret of the church which contains a stair (now no longer accessible) is at the north-east corner of the nave, and blocks part of the nearby window. This gave access to the rood loft.
The chancel is lower than the nave and less wide, with two windows of later date in the north and south walls. These have obtusely angled heads with intersecting tracery and minimal hood moulds. Beneath one on the south side is a small priest's doorway approached by ten steps on account of the fall in ground level. The east window has four main lights with panel tracery above and below it there is a two-storeyed vestry under a low pitched roof. This has triple Perpendicular lights in the lower part of the wall and two pairs of lights above, with further single lights in the north and south walls and a doorway for access to the lower chamber at the south-east angle. The east wall has a late nineteenth century niche housing a statue of Christ the Good Shepherd. At the corners are diagonal buttresses.
The south porch has always been the main entrance of the church, especially since the ground level has risen outside the doorway of the tower, so that it is now approached down two steps. The inner doorway of the south porch has a plain bold chamfer reaching to the ground, and the label stops are carved as heads, facing inwards. The parvice above is arranged as a small chapel dedicated to St. Anthony and has two moulded beams in the roof and the initials I carved on one jamb of the timber door-frame at the head of the stairs.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
1861
The east window, of four lights, is filled with brightly coloured glass, perhaps by Warrington. The subjects are St. Peter, Christ the Good Shepherd, Christ bearing the Cross, and St. Paul, with angels bearing appropriate symbols in the tracery lights.
Stained Glass
Mid 19th Century
Chancel north I : mid-nineteenth-century diaper quarries of seven differing patterns
Stained Glass
c. Early 19th Century
South chancel I : shield of arms in highest tracery light
Stained Glass
15th Century
South chancel II : two small figures of angels, one with a harp and one with a lute, doubtless re-set in the greater lights from the tracery
Stained Glass
1921
North nave I : single light of Christ and the Children
Stained Glass
1875
West window: Christ and the Children.
Interior
Interior Description
Although, like the exterior, the interior is architecturally quite simple, its proportions make it very dignified and the clear glass in virtually all the windows enhances the appearance of the church. The nave is tall and wide with a west wall cented to form the lower parts of the eastern buttresses to the tower and the tower arch between these having mouldings which die into the responds. High in the wall above is a sound hole of ten quatrefoils round a shield. The tower space is normally separated from the nave by a blue curtain. The walls are whitewashed, with some monuments placed between the windows, and the only stained glass in the nave is a single light in the easternmost window on the north side which has two other lights blocked by the rood stair. The door at the foot is now occupied by a statue of Our Lady, and there is a niche for a statue betweek this window and the next. The roof is of timber with prominent castellated tie-beams at each bay supported on wallposts which themselves rest on stone corbels carved as angels with shields. The spandrels are embellished with pierced tracery in geometrical patterns and there are also braces against the walls. There is a roof-ridge and two rows of purlins, while in the middle of each bay are secondary rafters. The panels between are plastered.
The chancel arch is tall and wide, with responds consisting of attenuated attached shafts between hollow mouldings. The arch itself is also moulded with an outer hood which returns horizontally at each end. The chancel beyond was refitted in the 1861 restoration and is provided with stalls backed by panelling along the north and south walls are returned stalls against the screen. The roof appears to have been renewed in 1861 and has moulded arch braces at each bay terminating in shields with closely set rafters between. The walls were originally covered with polychrome stencilled patterns, probably executed in 1890 when the rerodos was erected, but these have unfortunately been obliterated. Not only is this a loss in itself, but it has made nonsense of the flanking arcading of the reredos which now appears suspended in mid-air. The bright stained glass in the east window and a large Victorian monument on the north wall survive from the last century, but in the south-east corner and obtruding rather on the sanctuary, is a fine Jacobean monument of strong vernacular design with pillars at each corner and two recumbent effigies. This is one of the treasures of the church, but it cannot be said to be appropriately placed. The steps on which the altar stands were replaced in 1941 and the sacrament is reserved in a central tabernacle.
On the north side of the altar is a door leading into the upper vestry, with a plain moulded four-centred arch. Within the vestry may be seen the blind arch of a similar opening on the south side, presumably blocked when the monument was placed in front of it. From the vestry a small flight of timber stairs leads to the room on the lower floor.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
c.1830
The altar is a panelled oak table, probably of the c.1830 refurnishing of the chancel.
Reredos
1890
The reredos was erected in 1890 to the memory of a Rector's wife. It is a fine piece of woodwork in the late Perpendicular style with three ogee arches at the top with delicate panel tracery and pierced cresting framing a painting of The Last Supper executed in muted brownish colouring in the manner of Westlake, with made up plaster halos whose gilding catches the light.
Pulpit
c.1890
The pulpit is octagonal, of oak, with blind tracery in each panel of a single light with two quatrefoils below, further elaboration on a frieze round the top and small buttresses at the angles. It stands on a moulded stone base.
Lectern
Brass eagle.
Font (object)
15th Century
The font is fifteenth-century, octagonal, with recessed panels round the bowl carved alternately with angels holding large blank shields (presumably once coloured) and lions sitting sideways with their heads turned to face the observer and peculiarly docile expressions. Against the stem are four buttreses, two wild men and two wild women. Between the bowl and the stem are heads of beasts and men, and an order of square florets.
Organ (object)
1879
The organ is a small two-manual instrument built by Rayson of Ipswich in 1879, with five stops on the Great, six on the Swoll and one Pedal stop; some work was carried out in 1976 by Anglian Organbuilders whose nameplate appears on the console.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TG 233 83
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
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 | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
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
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