The original site of Burnham Norton village was most likely between the church and the friary, as the present day village is half a mile away from the church. Why the village relocated is unclear, it maybe as a result of the Black Death, the River Burn silting up and marshes forming, meaning the village Staithe had to move further out towards the coast.
The close proximity to the Carmelite Friary down the hill, maybe of significance in why there is such a tightly bunched proliferation of Burnham churches. All that survives of the friary today is a rather fine 15th century gatehouse, which on this visit was surrounded by scaffolding, as its present state seems in dire need of stabilisation and conservation work. You can still see the actual boundary of the monastic precinct, which may indicate that this was probably a moderately well off, but actually quite small foundation.
As round towers go, Burnham Norton's is one of the finest examples I've seen. A sturdily constructed tower, that tapers gently as it rises to a belfry and crenellated crown. It's the oldest surviving part of the church, with a likely early Norman date post 1086, as neither a church or tower is mentioned in the Doomsday Book. The church exterior generally has the overly neat look of a careful Victorian restoration project. It does possess a fine range of matching 15th century perpendicular nave and clerestory windows. One of the benefits for many North Norfolk churches when perched on top of a hill or escarpment, like it is here, is the quality of light such windows illuminate the interior with.
The interior is unusual with a small central area of pews separated off from the side aisles and font by relatively modern strip pine screens. Forty years ago when I first visited this church my recollection is of a slightly more open interior. This current arrangement demonstrates the medieval processional nature of its side aisles. There are a number of piscina, and a former communion bread oven in these aisles, which would indicate they once had side altars to saints, usually supported by donations from local medieval guilds. The pillars in the nave are 12th century Norman round in the north arcade and 14th century octagonal in the south. As with most North Norfolk churches, windows are plain diamond patterned glass. Surviving medieval stained glass is a rarity, and coloured window glass is generally, as here, 19th or 20th century in date. The east windows in the chancel are from the 1920's and feature depictions of the two female saints to whom the church is dedicated.
One reason to seek out this church is it's surviving medieval furnishings. It has a unique North West Norfolk style of Norman square font, which is quite low and chunkily carved, with deeply incised decoration on all its sides.
East Anglia, post the Black Death and Famine in the mid 14th century, was in the middle of an economic boom, courtesy of its wool and weaving manufacturing. So it is not unusual that people who became wealthy during this time would become patrons to their local church, fund improvements to its interior and religious furnishings. There is an extremely rare survival of a 15th century wine glass wooden pulpit. Provided originally by local patrons John and Katherine Goldale, who are depicted kneeling on two of its panels. The standard Four Doctors of the Church, St Gregory, St Augustine, St Ambrose and St Jerome, are all seated at desks in the remaining panels, With an inscription in Latin saying ' Pray for John Goldale and Katherine.. they had it made' then the date of 1450. Insensitively restored in the Victorian era, a more appropriate restoration was completed in the 1970's which revealed the original colouration and decorative scheme.
Alongside the pulpit is the remains of a medieval rood screen. Donated to the church by William Groom and his wife in 1458, so contemporaries of the Goldales. Most of the painting on the screen panels is now indistinct. Three panels had saints painted and the fourth was one of the donors. In the 18th century you could still make out some of the saints, The Virgin Mary, St Gregory and King Ethelbert. To the far left of the screen is the remains of a stairway that led to the rood loft, from which lessons from the Bible would have been read. Some remaining socket holes in the chancel arch indicate a crucifix, the rood, once hung above but separate from the screen. The screen itself was restored in 1953, when it was given a new rood loft replacement. The carved heads either side of the porch doorway most likely depict medieval people who also donated money for this to be built.
St Margaret's has a quietly understated atmosphere, which somewhat downplays the medieval treasures it holds. It's unique semi open layout, may be more how rural medieval churches were once arranged.
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