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

• Wikidata Q17535123

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Recommended Books

• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)