Church Of St Lawrence

The Church of St Lawrence is a parish church dating back to the medieval period. It comprises a nave, chancel, west tower, and south porch, constructed of flint rubble with stone dressings and slate roofs. The 12th-century tower is square and unbuttressed, featuring various blocked window openings. A distinctive original two-light belfry opening is divided by a shaft with a capital. Later, in the 14th century, a moulded west doorway and crenellated parapet were added, along with three further belfry openings. The tower arch to the nave is now blocked. The four-bay nave, also of the late 14th century, features two- and three-light windows in a Perpendicular style, alongside moulded north and south doorways with original doors. The 15th-century porch has a flushwork-panelled facade, a moulded entrance arch with rose-carved spandrels, an empty niche with a crocketed ogee arch, flanking buttress shafts, and remnants of a stoup. The late 14th-century chancel has two bays. The priest’s doorway is enriched with fleurons, partially renewed in the 19th century, and the five-light east window was renewed in the 20th century. Internally, the nave roof is ceiled over, while the chancel roof is from the 19th century. The chancel arch is supported by corbels carved as human heads. A good 14th-century angle piscina features a cusped ogee arch with crocketting and buttress shafts, alongside a drop-sill sedilia and two medieval aumbries. The east splays of the easternmost nave windows have cusped image niches, one of which is complete and retains some original colouring. A recess with a moulded arch is set into the north nave wall, likely intended for a founder’s tomb. A simple, uncarved octagonal font, probably dating to the 14th century, is also present. At the west end of the nave, there are eleven 15th-century poppyhead bench ends, two retaining remnants of armrests, with the backs of all benches dating from the 18th century. The remainder of the nave seating consists of 18th-century box pews, arranged around further 15th-century poppyhead benches. The 15th-century pulpit has traceried panels and an early 17th-century carved back and tester. At the east end of the chancel, 18th-century painted copies of the Lord’s Prayer, Commandments, and Creed are displayed within 19th-century panels. Various brass effigies are present, including those of Sir Edmund de Brundish (circa 1380), John and Alice Colby (1540, 1560), John Colby (1559), and Thomas Glemham (1571). Several 17th and 18th century ledger slabs are also in place. The arms of George III are displayed above the tower arch.