St Mary, Brettenham, Norfolk

I Location

Site Location: Brettenham
National Grid Reference: TL 931 833
County: traditional: Norfolk
now: Norfolk
Diocese: medieval: East Anglia
now: Norwich
Dedication: medieval: not confirmed
now (or name of monument): St Mary
Type of building/monument: Parish church

II General Description

: General view.

The present church consists of a nave, chancel, N and S transepts and W tower. The medieval structure was in a ruinous condition when it was remodelled in 1852 in the Decorated Gothic style of the 14thc. by Samuel Saunders Teulon (1812-73), who added an octagonal vestry on the N side of the chancel. The only Romanesque sculpture occurs on the S doorway. This was retained and incorporated in the 19thc. rebuilding, apparently in situ. The base of the medieval W tower and SW corner of the nave also survived.

III Exterior Features

1. Doorways

(i) S doorway, nave,

: S doorway, arch, detail.

: S doorway, L side, capital.

: S doorway, R side, capital.

: S doorway, arch.

: S doorway, general view.

: S doorway, R side, jamb, detail.

: S doorway, L side, jamb, detail.

: S doorway, L side, base, detail.

Round-headed of two orders. Of creamy limestone, flecked with brown.

First order

Plain, square-section jambs, which do not course with the masonry of the adjacent nave wall. The imposts are hollow-chamfered with a shallow roll on the upright. The arch is plain.

Second order

Attic bases on stepped, chamfered plinths, supporting nook shafts. The L shaft has nested chevron, while the R has cable moulding.

L capital: attached flat-leaf volute capital with necking. The leaves have a central vein. On the face between the leaves is a small triangle within a triangle. The E face has a horizontal row of cable above the triangle.

R capital: as L capital although the leaves lack the central vein. The W face has a saltire between the leaves.

The imposts are hollow chamfered with a shallow roll on the upright.

The arch has a double row of chevron carved lateral to the face, separated by a fine roll and with cogwheel edge. The wedges are hollowed on the soffit. The keystone could be a modern replacement. The soffit has a roll carved with cable ornament. There is no label.

Dimensions

h. of opening	2.56 m
w. of opening	0.99 m
max h. of opening	2.97 m
max w. of opening	2.10 m

VII History

Brettenham, in the hundred of Shropham, was held by Roger Bigod at the time of DS. Turgis held land there before 1066, while William of Bourneville had a holding when the survey was carried out. Dues were paid to the royal manor of Buckenham, chief manor of Shropham hundred. Brettenham was an ancient site of some importance, as indicated by the presence of a series of Bronze Age barrows, known as the Seven Hills. There is also evidence of an Iron Age settlement, a large Roman market town and a 5thc. cemetery. A significant Roman road, the Peddars Way, one of Norfolk’s ancient thoroughfares, enters the county here.

VIII Comments/Opinions

The capitals are similar to some in the presbytery of Norwich Cathedral (1096—1119).

IX Bibliography

N. Pevsner and B. Wilson, The Buildings of England: Norfolk: North-West and South, Harmondsworth, 1962, revised 1999, 2:217-8.
T. Williamson, The Origins of Norfolk, Manchester 1993, 38, 41, 67.
D. Dymond, The Norfolk Landscape, Bury St Edmunds, 2nd edn 1990, 43-4, 52.
P. Brown, (ed.), Domesday Book: Norfolk, 2 vols, London and Chichester 1984.