Details
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 24 January 2022 to correct an error in the description.
TF 64 SE
1/56
OLD HUNSTANTON
CHURCH ROAD (east)
Church of St. Mary.
(Formerly listed as Church of St. Mary, CHURCH STREET (east))
5/6/53
I
Parish Church. C14 fabric by two members of the Le Strange family of Hunstanton Hall. Ambitiously restored and reroofed c.1860 by Henry Le Strange (1815-1862) developer of New Hunstanton : "the late Mr. L'Estrange undertook the repair and restoration of the entire ... was completed from the designs of that accomplished gentleman, the work being carried out by masons and carpenters under his immediate and supervision". Hunstanton and its neighbour-hood PW, (1864), GW, (1873) pp. 33-34.) Similarities with St. Edmund's New Hunstanton (1865-1869) suggest the involvement of Frederick Preedy architect, Le Strange's cousin.
Flint, stone dressings, lead roofs. North west tower, nave and clerestorey, north and south aisles, south porch, chancel, north vestries. Tower: set off buttresses at west, south door, c.1300, square sound hole openings to bell stage, two-light Decorated belfry stage windows, battle-mented parapet. Nave five-light west window, geometric tracery c.1860, sound hole in gable, three trefoils in segmental triangle. North aisle two two-light windows, south aisle three-light west window, four two-light south windows, one three-light east window, all c.1860 Geometric-Decorated tracery. Five circular clerestorey windows, alternate trefoil and cinquefoil tracery. South porch 1864, arch with cinquefoil bar tracery, north and south two roundels with flowing tracery. Chancel three two-light south and one north window, Decorated c.1860, five-light east window, geometric tracery c.1860. Lean-to vestries to north-east, c.1900.
Interior: south porch roof massive over wind braced. Doors and internal porch 1864. Nave five bay north and south arcades, alternate rounded and octagonal piers,stone seats at base,single hollow chamfered pointed arches. Massive overstructured nave roof, decorative wind-bracing, arched double scissor braces resting alternately on carved Apostle head corbels, by Earp (L.L. Gore, The History of Hunstanton. (1983) p.58.) At west Norman font, central pier with four detached angle columns, scalloped underside to bowl, attached colonnettes at angles, steps. Mosaic on floor by Earp. West window single stained light c.1861. Benches c.1860. Black and yellow tiled floor south aisle east window, stained, High Victorian, Tree of Jesse by Henry Le Strange, who painted roof of Ely Cathedral nave. North aisle: painted royal arms William IV (1830-1837).
At east table tomb with brass to Sir Roger Le Strange (obiit 1506), an esquire of the body to Henry VII. Perpendicular blank tracery panels with brass coats of arms, brass with figure in armour, tabard tunic under heraldic helm and three ogee canopies. Small figures in tabards either side. Inscription but no religious iconography whatever. Originally in chancel, replaced there c.1860, removed here in C20. Chancel: pulpit, marble, stone and alabaster perhaps by Earp or Boulton of Cheltenham. Perpendicular chancel arch with seve light screen c.1500, polychrome dado with twelve Apostles, seven light divisions, loft, restored c.1900 by Bodley.
On north Perpendicular stone recessed altar tomb 1485 of Henry Le Strange, perhaps used as an Easter Sepulchre Tomb chest four-centred arch, parapet with coats of arms. Arched, boarded and coved roof, angle corbels c.1861. Stalls neo-Perpendicular, c1920 by Sir Walter Tapper. Reredos stone, mastic, glazed tiles, alabaster, marble, painted angels in roundels by Frederick Preedy (Gore Hunstanton p.58). East window 1867 in memory of Henry Le Strange, vivid High Victorian colour by Preedy. See also The Story of Hunstanton Parish Church., anon, Gloucester, 1948, passim.
Listing NGR: TF6890541980
