CHURCH LARKING - Cromer Parish Church.

I begin my Church Larking journey with the North Norfolk coast and with Cromer. This town sits, though not literally in the middle, but certainly at the Norfolk coast's heart, from whence you can venture up and down it. This is to be my intended journey plan for the next few months to follow the coast west then east.

Cromer Parish Church, dedicated to St Peter and St Paul, is an inescapable building. Visible from all approach roads, slap bang and central. Its the tallest church tower in Norfolk at 160 feet. A tower that is very elegantly proportioned too, crowned with four delicate pinnacles. Standing proudly in the middle of town, unrivaled by anything else. You can usually climb to the top of the tower, but they currently have a Peregrine Falcon nesting up there. So no beautiful coastal panorama on this outing.

The other fine features of this church are its exterior flint work, with external arcades of arches stone infilled with knapped flint. There are also the sheer massiveness of the churches many clear glass windows. It experienced a long period of neglect, which may explain the lack of surviving Medieval glass. But has had some recent stylish stained glass inserted into two windows. 

The overall style of Cromer Parish Church is mid 14th Century Decorative, on the cusp of Perpendicular. With its consequent architectural emphasis being on stretching the sense of height. Because there is so much clear glass the light quality in the church on a sunny day can be absolutely glorious. Creating a sense of the interior as this vast cavernous space, which may or may not produce a beautiful acoustic for music. 

Its built on fluted pillars with an unusual inverted V decoration at their base. Structurally these pillars lean noticeably and alarmingly outward. Hence the exterior flushed buttresses to prevent them literally pulling the nave apart. 

This church was constructed in one architectural era. It is devoid of much charm or character. A feeling of bland uniformity pervades it, depriving it of approachable warmth. It's not the sort of church you fall instantly in love with. Unexpectedly sterile on the ambiance front. Not helped, by its falling into such serious decline, then being saved by, but subjected to, the thoroughness of a Victorian architects restoration. And the inevitable over tidying and cleaning up of interiors and exterior, this usually entails.