TM2494 : St Margaret, Hempnall: banner
taken 9 years ago, near to Hempnall, Norfolk, England

Like all Norfolk Churches, well documented Link
Pevsner notes “early C14 tower” (‘The Buildings of England: North west and South Norfolk’, Pevsner,N, p 192: Harmondsworth, Penguin, 1962 1st, 1984 5th- ISBN 0-14-071024-8) Like amny rural churches it is part of a group ministry Link
Taken from the French word “banniere” and late Latin bandum, banners are defined as a cloth out of which a flag is made. Church banners have a history literally rooted in scripture.
“In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples: he will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel" Isaiah 11:10-12
Ancient church banners served as a visible reminder of a community's identify. It was at the head of the "Beating the Bounds", an annual procession around the whole parish boundary. Today church banners often combine the Word of God with picturesque landscapes and creative designs to encourage and inspire.