Nominal: 847.5 Hz Weight: 1025 lbs Diameter: 37.5" Bell 1 of 5
Founded by Mears & Stainbank 1923
Dove Bell ID: 2842 Tower ID: 11634 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Great Bircham: St Mary the Virgin
Overview
Grid reference: TF 770 326
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Church open regularly Grade I listed building Visitor parking nearby Bell Ringing Stained Glass
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Footprint of Church buildings: 581 m²
Exterior Description
C12 tower door, C13 north door, early C14 chancel, mid C14 nave and aisles. Knapped and rubble flint, cement rendered chancel, slate roofs. South west tower, 4 bay nave and aisles, north porch, 2 bay chancel. 3 stage tower on axis with south aisle has ashlar plinth, string courses, and buttresses with set offs. Ground floor stage has 2-light Decorated window with tracery head, rectangular lancets at south-east angle to internal stair- case. 4 lancets to second stage. Bell chamber has 4 2-light Decorated tracery windows with flat parapet cornice above. Nave west gable has fine 5-light Perpendicular tracery window with lower battlemented transoms and rich upper lights with transoms, cusping and sub-cusping, label moulding with carved head end stops. South aisle has 3 straight-headed Decorated 3-light tracery windows in deep reveals with richly cusped and sub-cusped opposed tracery spandrels. Decorated south door. South aisle east window has flowing tracery with 2 cinquefoils and 2 quatrefoils in spandrels. 2 south and one east buttresses. North aisle has one Perpendicular 2-light west window. 2 north 3-light and one east 2-light Decorated windows with same details as south aisle. Perpendicular north porch has chamfered outer arch with capitals, flanking flush work arches. 2 north, one east and west buttresses with set offs. 3 flush work ogee headed niches above. Kneelers with crocketted spirelets. 2 north and 2 south tracery windows. Chancel has one south and 2 north c.1300 'Y' tracery 2 light windows, one south Perpendicular 3-light window. 5-light Perpendicular east window replacement of c.1850. Angle buttresses.
As listed on Historic England website
Interior
Interior Description
North porch north door C13 has paired columns with bases and capitals, richly moulded pointed arch. North and south sides articulated by rectangular chamfered frame with blank shields springing from wall seats, with two outer and one inner blank arched headed niches. Fine 4 bay north and south Decorated nave arcade has 3 clustered semi-columns with angle fillets and chamfered hollows with base seats. Moulded capitals and bases. Double hollow chamfered arches and half columns responds with same details at east and west. North and south doors have label head mouldings. Fine late Norman c.1200 tower east door into south aisle has single colonnettes with capitals and zig zag moulded arch refashioned presumably later as pointed arch. South aisle piscina. Octagonal C13 Purbeck marble font set on C15 Perpendicular shaft with moulded pedestal and capital, octagonal plinth. Hexagonal C17 pulpit with arched carved panels and cherub heads in spandrels, C18 wooden stairs with carved string and Gothick arched head tracery between balusters. Pre-Reformation stone altar mensa with consecration crosses set in floor in front. C.1850 box-pews with poppyhead bench ends. C.1850 nave and aisle roofs. C.1850 west window stained glass with texts. Fine Decorated chancel arch with moulded bases and capitals,with lower and upper rood stair doors. C15 rood screen, 7 lights. Painted lower panels, tracery dado and upper lights. Blocked C15 north door and blocked north-east window. North and south 'Y' tracery windows have internal hood moulds, on south with stained glass arms of Clare family, C14 patrons. C15 sedilia, 3 seats with carved spandrel and cinquefoil heads. Piscina. C17 Holy Table with "Donum GY 1640". C.1850 4 bay roof with carved wooden corbel heads to wall posts.
As listed on Historic England website
Bells
Nominal: 1320 Hz Weight: 364 lbs Diameter: 25.5" Bell 2 of 5
Founded by Charles Newman
Dove Bell ID: 22343 Tower ID: 11634 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1131 Hz Weight: 476 lbs Diameter: 28" Bell 3 of 5
Founded by Charles Newman
Dove Bell ID: 22344 Tower ID: 11634 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1064.5 Hz Weight: 616 lbs Diameter: 30.75" Bell 4 of 5
Founded by John Warner & Sons 1878
Dove Bell ID: 22345 Tower ID: 11634 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 958 Hz Weight: 756 lbs Diameter: 33.75" Bell 5 of 5
Founded by Mears & Stainbank 1923
Dove Bell ID: 22346 Tower ID: 11634 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: TF 770 326
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.
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 | 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
Sources
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