St Peter’s Church

Brampton Church c. 1845 by Frederick Sandys (Norwich Castle Museum collection)St Peter’s Church, Brampton sits on a prominent position at the north-east end of the village. It overlooks an arc of the River Bure as it crosses into the neighbouring parish of Burgh-Next-Aylsham.

Priest in Charge: The Revd David Hagan-Palmer

The Beeches, Brook Street
Buxton
Norwich
(01603) 279596
Email: [email protected]

 

 

Brief architectural description of the Church:

The round tower dates back to late Norman times (1066-1088) and was enhanced in the  1480’s to 1520’s by the addition of a brick belfry of octagonal form.  If you look closely
at this section you can make out some decoration with a criss-cross pattern of blue bricks amongst the reddish-brown ones.

The round tower has it’s flat side against the nave, this indicates that the nave was built first. The thickness of tower walls seems to indicate that the tower may have Saxon origins. Only after the Norman Conquest did cut stone from local quarries become readily available and them it needed to be transported by water.

The tower is in line with the chancel indicating that the original church was long and narrow – perhaps there was limited supply of timber of good length in the locality.

The four belfry windows have plain and simple “Y” shaped tracery [and flat four centred arches] In the Norman part of the tower spot the use of brown conglomerate stone as well as flint. Conglomerate is relatively uncommon around here. If you look closely, you may also be able to spot some reclaimed Roman tiles in the masonry. As usual not much goes to waste.  Just around to the north west corner of the nave are some roughly dressed stone blocks dating from the original Norman part of the church.

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