UNITED KINGDOM
Churches of Norfolk: An Appointment with Angels May 11–14, 2021 from £895 per person | with Imogen Corrigan
Churches of Norfolk is one in a series of more gently paced tours, ideal for those who prefer a more laid-back, less physically demanding itinerary while enjoying the same high level of academic content. Walking and travelling distances are typically shorter, and time is dedicated to the gradual appreciation of, and explorations within, our immediate surroundings. Hotels will usually be situated in central locations to allow for ease of access to major amenities. Participants should meet ACE’s usual fitness requirements. FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: Please note that on this tour, some of the sites visited will contain uneven flooring, steps, ramps and dimly lit areas, and time will be spent walking around the church interiors. Our hotel, the Maids Head, is one of the oldest and most characterful in Norwich. As a historical property, it is full of warmth and character however travellers should note it does contain some areas of uneven flooring and low beams as well as several staircases. Some of the rooms are accessible by lift (six steps from reception).
All Saints’ Church, Bale
• View the remarkable ‘Memento Mori’ panels of a surviving medieval rood screen at St Mary in Sparham • St Botolph’s in Trunch offers a beautiful 15th century hammerbeam roof • Appreciate the stained glass at Bale alongside fascinating murals at Wickhampton and Hemblington
Tour Director Imogen Corrigan, BA, MPhil, is a medieval historian. Imogen obtained a first-class degree in AngloSaxon and Medieval History from the University of Kent and subsequently an MPhil from the University of Birmingham. Imogen’s new book, Stone on Stone: The Men who Built the Cathedrals, was published in 2019.
Around one thousand medieval churches once stood in Norfolk, and over six hundred and fifty remain – the largest concentration anywhere in the world. Rising above the gently rolling landscape, they survive from the time when East Anglia was the economic heartland of late medieval England, prospering from the wool trade, the wealth of its great landed families, and its thriving coastal port.
We shall delve into the various media for church art, from misericords and woodcarving to wonderful stained glass at Bale, and fascinating murals at Wickhampton and Hemblington. St Botolph’s in Trunch presents a stunning collection of features from its beautiful 15th century hammerbeam roof to its superb oak font canopy, one of only four of its kind in England.
John Betjeman famously mused that “lovers of Norfolk churches can never agree which is the best and I think one is either a Salle or a Cawston man”. These churches represent two of Norfolk’s most spectacularly vast church buildings, but our exploration of the religious architecture, art and iconography of the Middle Ages will also encompass some smaller and lesser-known examples, many housing unexpected treasures.
Also included will be the much-maligned doodling of the medieval graffiti artist, as seen at St Margaret’s in Cley. Further highlights will include those treasures that elucidate the rich pre-Reformation sacramental life of England’s parish churches, such as the splendid rood screens at Cawston and at Ranworth.
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We stay throughout at the charming four-star Maids Head Hotel in the centre of Norwich.
Day 1 Assemble 1330 at the Maids Head Hotel, Norwich, for three nights. Welcome followed by free time to visit Norwich Cathedral including an introduction to the cloisters. Evening lecture: The Dregs of the People Remain – Black Death and its Aftermath. Day 2 St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Knapton (extraordinary double-hammerbeam roof, rafters filled with angels); St Botolph’s Church, Trunch (14th century chancel, fine medieval misericords and stunning oak font canopy); Holt; St Margaret’s Church, Cley (medieval ship graffiti); All Saints’ Church, Bale (superb stained glass). Day 3 All Saints’ Church, Weston Longville (mural and Apostles’ Creed screen); All Saints’ Church, Mattishall (beautiful 15th century painted rood screen dado); St Mary’s Church, Sparham (remarkable surviving ‘Memento Mori’ rood screen portion); St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Salle (magnificent wool church); St Agnes’s Church, Cawston (fine 15th century rood screen). Day 4 All Saints’ Church, Hemblington (best surviving mural of St Christopher); St Helen’s Church, Ranworth (exquisite screen); St Edmund’s Church, Acle (plague inscription); St Andrew’s Church, Wickhampton (14th century murals). Tour disperses 1530 at Norwich Station followed by 1545 at hotel. Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time. Cost of £895 includes: accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, dinner with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £150. TOUR CODE: CHN121
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