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Notes by R. J. Steffens, Birkin Haward (glass) and John Blatchly 1977 |
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Gunthorpe had no church in Domesday, but in 1106 Osgod was Prior of Binham and one Osgotus de Gunthorpe (the same?) held the Rectory here. One of the manors belonged to Binham Priory until the Dissolution; the others with the advowson passed through the families of Avenel, Clare, Le Mey, Wilby, Godfrey, Davy, Le Heup and Sparke. The earliest surviving parts of the church are the north and south doorways to the nave, the former blocked, both of C.13OO. Next comes the forteenth century decorated tracery of the east window, the only feature of the chancel to survive Canon Sparke's sweeping restoration of 1863-4. Nave windows, tower and font are mid-15th cent, and shields of arms on the font pedestal may commemorate the principal benefactors of that rebuilding :
The first cannot be identified,but Sefoule (2), Wilby (3) and Davy (4) were landowning families here. Around the bowl there are four seated figures and the symbols of the Evangelists: the angel of St. Matthew, the lion of St. Mark, the calf of St. Luke and the eagle of St. John. At the base of the pedestal, only the feet of standing figures remain.
The exterior of the church has not changed much since Ladbrooke published his lithograph view in the 1820s - slates have replaced tiles and there is a new porch and an extra south chancel window. The tower with its fine chequered flushwork battlements has been repaired often -the date 1808 at eyelevel near its south-east corner marks one restoration. Just to the west the small headstone to Augustine Andrews who died aged 24 in 1743 has mason's tools shown on it, a hint perhaps that he was engaged on earlier repairs when he died. John Towne's grave is near the porch, and the earliest headstone, to Richard Teule + 1702, is tucked away against the east wall of the chancel.
Monuments are few: a brass inscription to Christopher Houghton + 1628 (mural near the organ) as well as ledger slabs to other Houghtons, and in the transept to members of the Le Heup family (see the beehives and bees volant in their arms). Notice the charming rhyme on the black marble slab of 14 year old Susan Might + 1633 in the chancel, and the tablet on the nave north wall describing gifts to the poor of the parish by John Towne + 1777.
The only bell in the tower today is one of 3 1/2 cwt. with the inscription 'Charles Newman made me 1702'. Three split bells, probably then over 250 years old, were sold in 1786 by a faculty which also gave the parishioners leave to dismantle the south transept. Until then the church was cruciform. RECTORS OF GUNTHORPE
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The
Victorian stained glass here is of special interest, all put
in in the time of
Canon Sparke, rector from 1831-1870, who
completely rebuilt the chancel in the 1860s. His son Henry, killed
at Balaclava in October 1854, is commemorated in the east window
by William Warrington, a London designer who worked with Willement.
Christ's last days are depicted from Palm Sunday to the Ascension,all
in Warrington's rather florid manner with strong colour and competent
figure drawing. Frederic Preedy of Worcester is the artist of
the other four windows in chancel (c.1865), nave and tower (both
c.1870). He was also the architect of the school opposite the
church (1867) and most probably of the entire chancel rebuilding
with its marble and alabaster decorations and Te Deum reredos.
Other Preedy windows can be seen at Hunstanton, Snettisham and
Ringstead. In spite of some weakness in his figure compositions
the windows here are consistently good in colour; his purples,
mauves and slate blues are unusual and set off the bright reds
and blues in an exciting way. The change in style from 1865
to 1870 is interesting; the nave window illustrating the six
Acts of Mercy has a very
subtle colour scheme.
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