Description

SWAFFHAM

TF8208 CHURCH LANE
809-1/8/3 (East side)
10/01/51 Church of St Peter and St Paul

GV I

Parish church. C14-C15 with C18 and C19 alterations and
restorations. Flint, Barnack stone and some brick. Lead roofs.
PLAN: west tower, nave, aisles, north and south transepts and
chancel.
EXTERIOR: 2-stage tower begun 1485, completed 1507-10 by
Master Gyles. Setback stepped buttresses. Base frieze of
roundels containing route tournant and shields. Arched west
doorway with multiple mouldings flanked either side by a
nodding ogee niche below a statuary niche. 5-light
Perpendicular west window flanked by one tall canopied
statuary niche right and left, set at an angle. 3-light belfry
openings with Perpendicular tracery. Openwork battlements
added 1533, with corner pinnacles. Gothick lantern and lead
spike of 1778 by John Frost, rebuilt 1897.
Aisles with 3-light Perpendicular windows, the north aisle
wall rebuilt 1462. South side with flint porch entered through
C20 doors within a moulded 2-centred arch under square hood,
in the spandrels of which are blind tracery motifs with split
cusps and shields. Gabled roof with pinnacles. Hammerbeam roof
within porch of c1510: 3 bays, carved angels against
hammerposts, doubled angels as ridge bosses. West aisle window
with reticulated tracery.
North aisle with early C14 blocked north doorway at west end,
blocked mid C14 doorway at east end. Thirteen 3-light
clerestory windows with Perpendicular tracery under basket
arches. North side with a brick crenellated parapet. North
transept lit through a 4-light C19 north window (restored
1848-51), stepped side buttresses. South transept with
Decorated 3-light E window, 4-light Perpendicular south
window. Stepped side buttresses. Between chancel and north
transept a 2-storey vestry with library on upper floor. One
3-light Perpendicular north chancel window, 5-light
Curvilinear east window of 1853, two 3-light Perpendicular
chancel south windows. Diagonal corner buttresses. Chancel
constructed mid C15. S aisle with projection for chapel of
Corpus Christi, c1490-1500, lit by a 4-light Perpendicular
window.
INTERIOR: 7-bay arcade, the piers of quatrefoil section
standing on circular bases and with circular capitals, except
for 2 west bays constructed with the tower: polygonal bases

and capitals. Double hollow-chamfered arches. Wave- and
hollow-moulded tower arch. Springers for fan vault remain to
lower stage of tower. Baluster screen above to tower gallery:
twisted and turned balusters, c1700. Aisle windows and doors
within tall wall arches. 14-bay early C16 double hammerbeam
nave roof. Moulded wall posts on angel corbels. 2 tiers of
hammerbeams, each with a carved wooden angel with outspread
wings bearing shields. Lower hammerbeams with traceried
spandrels. Brattished and moulded ashlaring in 2 tiers and
with carved decoration. Moulded cambered collars with cresting
and ridge struts faced by carved angels. 2 tiers of moulded
butt purlins and ridge piece. Arches from transepts to aisles
and chancel: free-standing chancel arch of similar section to
nave arcade. Passage-squint from north transept to chapel, and
doorway into vestry. C16 6-bay arch-braced chancel roof with
one tier of moulded butt purlins.
FITTINGS: octagonal Caen stone font of 1851. 2 late C15
chancel stalls: to north with 2 carved figure scenes depicting
a woman holding a rosary, first in a shop and then looking out
of the door; to south 2 figures of a man with a pack above
chained dogs. Remainder of seating of 1851.
MEMORIALS: altar tomb against north chancel wall to John
Botewright, d.1474: tomb chest with 4 shields bearing symbols
of Passion, Trinity and Botewright's rebus: 3 boats and 3
augers. Reclining effigy in clerical dress. Cusped mid C16
canopy with tracery daggers in spandrels and brattished
cornice. Wall monument to Katherine Steward, d.1590: pair of
Doric columns support strapwork achievement in which is
profile representation of deceased kneeling at prayer.
Inscription panel below. Brass to Sir John Audley, c1530 on
south transept pier.

Listing NGR: TF8208808999

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17535123

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets