SK7761 : Interior, St Laurence's church, Norwell
taken 8 years ago, near to Norwell, Nottinghamshire, England
The church certainly has Norman origins, main remaining feature from this period being the late 12th century south door. The aisle arcades are early 13th century, that of the south aisle being slightly earlier (c.1200) than the north (c1225-50). The lancet windows of the chancel are of this period also, and the chancel and tower arches are lat 13th century too. The south transept is originally 13th century, but much remodelled in the 15th, with windows in Perpendicular style. The north transept and south porch are 14th century and the fine clerestory with its distinctive Perpendicular windows with lozenge tracery dates from the second half of the 15th century. The lower stages of the tower are 13th century work, the upper stages from the 15th.
The interior of the church is spacious with a wide south aisle and north and south transepts. The impression in the nave is very much of an Early English church with well proportioned arcades to both aisles. These are well illuminated by the large clerestory windows, of later date. Some earlier corbels were retained when this was done and inserted between the arches of the south aisle. At the far end is the fine early 14th century 5 light east window in Decorated style.
Notable interior features are the original 15th century timber roof of the north transept, which includes a boss with a fine carving of a green man. In the south transept a late 13th tomb recess contains an effigy of a recumbent cross-legged knight. Details of the armour date this to between 1320 and 1330, suggesting that it may represent Sir John de Lysours, lord of Willoughby by Norwell, who was murdered in 1322. In the south aisle a similar recess contains the effigy of a lady with a wimple. There is speculation that she was originally matched with the male effigy, but there is no evidence to substantiate this. Both effigies are later than the tomb recesses, and are thought to have been moved to their present locations during the restoration of 1874-5.
All the figurative glass in the church is of 19th and 20th origin, although several of the windows have pre-restoration plain glass.
Adjacent to the south transept tomb recess is an elaborately decorated 14th century piscina and aumbry. This has a remarkable face in the upper right spandrel, basically human but with animal ears, and what is either a beard or representation of wind blowing from the mouth. The square surround moulding is also stopped with a pair of laughing heads. There is a less elaborate piscina in the north transept, but this too has grotesque hood stops. From the north transept a narrow winding stair rises to the level of the long demolished rood loft.
The church is Listed Grade I. For fuller information see Link
The churchyard contains a few late 17th gravestones and there is a finely engraved sundial dated 1665 on a pedestal dated 1736 with the names of the churchwardens of the time, Richard Wright and Richard Burkitt. There is an older, incomplete, scratch sundial on the south west corner of the south transept. Parts of a grave marker of around 1200 can be seen on either side of the archway into the south porch. To the south east of the church a modern grass labyrinth has been created. The churchyard wall dates from the 19th century and is Listed Grade II for group value.