The Street, Ashwellthorpe Ashwellthorpe Norwich
01953 788227

The Church probably dates from the 13th century and consists of a square tower with quatrefoil sound holes, heavy buttresses and chequer work battlements .
There is a Perpendicular porch with 18th century Dutch gable and a holy water stoup with an ogee canopy.
There is priest's chamber over the porch which is reached by a stone staircase.
The nave is Perpendicular [very high for its length] a chancel and side chapel.
The gem of this church for which it is well known is the alabaster tomb of Sir Edmund de Thorp and his wife Joan which lies between the chancel and the side chapel. Sir Edmund was slain at the siege of Louviers castle in Normandy in 1417 fighting with Henry V. His body was brought back home form the battlefield to be buried in the chapel which Sir Edmund built for his own burial place and that of his successors.
Both the knight and his lady wear the privileged collar chain of 'Ss'. Angels bear her pillows and dogs play at her feet, Sir Edmund's head rests on a mighty helm and plume. Over the centuries quite a lot of graffiti has been added by various hands. A few years ago the tomb underwent a substantial and costly restoration to save and preserved it for future generations.
There is an octagonal font with carved shields erected by Thomas Knevet [1596-1658] and Katherine Burgh his wife.
There are five bells in the tower though these are not rung. There is a wooden ladder in the tower to access the bells which is inscribed George Ward churchwarden 1677 at the top.[The typist did not check this].
There are three perforated stone basins in the church in the chapel, the chancel and the nave.
The royal arms of George 111 are hung in the church.
The church registers date from 1558.
The church underwent major internal work in the 1990s when the rotting pews were removed and replaced with upholstered chairs. A brick work floor was installed and stalls made in the chancel behind the replaced screen. An interesting feature of the church is its lower level chancel.

These notes are taken from the Ashwellthorpe Church guide which was written by the late Rosemary Tilbrook who lived in the village for many years and was licensed as a Reader in 1998

There was an 'electrical incident' at the church at the beginning of September 2009 but much careful cleaning and refurbishment by experts has been done and the church is in use once again. A photographic replica of the medieval Ashwellthorpe Triptych was installed in the Thorpe Chapel in February 2011.

Church Lane, Fundenhall Fundenhall Norwich
(01953) 788227

The Domesday Book records that there was already a church here in Fundenhall in 1086 endowed with 28 acres of glebe land The will of Eadwine who lived 1033-66 mentions the church at Fundenhall and part of the massive central tower may well have existed then. The tower and the nave were remodeled c.1100 when the beautiful south doorway was added. The stone used is from Caen in Normandy and may have been surplus to requirements at the cathedral then being built at Norwich. One can imagine a gang of rogue masons with a cartload of fine stone stopping off at Fundenhall on the way south and offering to provide a handsome new entry into the church at a knock-down price.
In 1258 the Manor of Fundenhall was held by a descendant of Roger Bigod, Sir Bartholomew de Creke, and on his death in that year his widow founded a convent of Augustinian nuns to his memory. It was established at Flixton near Bungay and the manor of Fundenhall was transferred to the nuns so that they could use its revenues, They also had the right to appoint rectors to the parish.

In 1347, just two years before the Black Death, Bishop Bateman rescued the declining finances of the nuns by making over the entire income from the tithes and endowments of the parish to them, downgrading the living so that a chaplain, paid a meagre stipend by the convent, looked after the spiritual needs of the inhabitants. This unsatisfactory arrangement was to continue for almost 300 years and accounts for Fundenhall church not being rebuilt in later medieval times. Fundenhall, in contrast, was dependent on a distant and impoverished convent and its church remained largely unaltered with the exception of the tower. This was heightened in 1420 or thereabouts with the addition of an upper stage paid for by William Danyell, a wealthy Norwich merchant who had been born in the village.
In 1502 Fundenhall found another wealthy patron in John Burgeys (or Burges) who paid for the remarkable rood loft to be built across the east end of the nave. Part of the screen survives despite the Victorian restoration of the church that took place at a time when the building was again threatened by terminal decay

When Robert Ladbrooke sketched the church early in the 19th century the nave roof is obviously in a state of advanced decay.
A knight in shining armour appeared at the last minute in the form of Gerard Barton who lived at Fundenhall Grange and purchased the position of lay rector.[See longer account on link page]

The Turnpike, Norwich Road, Ashwellthorpe, NR16 1EL
(01508) 489419

The large L-shaped bar has a log-burning stove. At one end is a pool table and darts board, guarded by a parrot. The guest beer changes regularly and is chosen to contrast with the regular ones. Food is available except Monday lunchtimes an...

51-55 The Street, Ashwellthorpe, NR16 1AA
(01508) 489721

A traditional old country pub, dating from 1715, situated on the main Wymondham road. The interior is one large bar with low ceilings and exposed beams, divided by a wood burning inglenook style fireplace. It reputedly has a ghost called M...