Abbey Church of St Mary and St Thomas of Canterbury
ABBEY CHURCH OF ST MARY AND ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY, CHURCH STREET
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1297494
- Date first listed:
- 29-Dec-1950
- List Entry Name:
- Abbey Church of St Mary and St Thomas of Canterbury
- Statutory Address:
- ABBEY CHURCH OF ST MARY AND ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY, CHURCH STREET
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2004-07-01
- Reference:
- IOE01/12725/16
- Rights:
- © Mr Gary Hacon. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1297494
- Date first listed:
- 29-Dec-1950
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 14-Sept-1992
- List Entry Name:
- Abbey Church of St Mary and St Thomas of Canterbury
- Statutory Address 1:
- ABBEY CHURCH OF ST MARY AND ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY, CHURCH STREET
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- ABBEY CHURCH OF ST MARY AND ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY, CHURCH STREET
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Norfolk
- District:
- South Norfolk (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Wymondham
- National Grid Reference:
- TG 10686 01497
Details
TF1001,
655-1/10/39
WYMONDHAM,
CHURCH STREET (South-West side)
Abbey Church of St Mary and St Thomas of Canterbury
(Formerly Listed as: CHURCH STREET (North side) Church of St Mary and St Thomas of Canterbury)
29/12/50
GV
I
Benedictine Abbey Church. Founded 1107 by William de Albini as
a Priory, and C14-C16. Flint with limestone dressings. Lead
roofs. Nave, nave aisles and an east and west tower remain of
former full, apsidal, Benedictine plan. East tower is former
crossing tower.
Five-stage west tower commenced 1447, completed
1498. Polygonal corner buttresses. Arched west door flanked by
niches. 5-light west window with renewed Perpendicular tracery
and a blocked central light. 2-light ringing chamber windows
and paired belfry windows. 7-bay south aisle rebuilt 1544-60:
stepped buttresses between Y-tracery windows, diagonal
buttresses to east and west. Nine clerestory windows of three and
two lights with lozenge or flowing tracery of C19
interpretation, each separated by thin buttress strips. West
bay with a screen marking location of conventual buildings
formerly abutting to south. At east end of aisle two bays of
Norman gallery are evident. North aisle enlarged 1432-45 in eight
window bays plus porch at west end. Windows are 3-light
Perpendicular under segmental arches. 2-storey porch with
diagonal buttresses entered through a moulded arched entrance
under a frieze of shields. Paired parvise window to north.
Crenellated parapet over punched quatrefoil frieze. Stair
tower to south-west. Clerestorey with flushwork and nine 3-light
Perpendicular windows. Buttresses between them have niches.
At east end are various fragments of evidence testifying to
existence of former crossing tower and other Benedictine
planning features, here not discussed. 4-stage crossing tower
1390-1409. Very tall east arch, small doorways north and
south. One 3-light Perpendicular window north and south at
second stage. Upper two stages octagonal, with diagonal
buttresses, each alternate facet of both lit through 2-light
windows.
INTERIOR: 9-bay nave arcade, only the first bay retaining the
engaged columns and cushion capitals to the drum piers.
Zig-zag and dog-tooth decoration in round arches, those to
south with cable and meander. Triforium with two pairs of
engaged columns and double-rolled round arches to each bay.
Clerestory with moulded rere-arches. Late C15 hammer-beam roof.
Hammer beams carry winged angels bearing shields and musical
instruments and drop on arched braces to wall posts with
corbels. Heavy crenellated ashlaring. Arched hammer posts with
pierced tracery rise to moulded principals. One tier moulded
butt purlins and ridge piece, with star bosses at junctions.
Similar hammer-beam roof to north aisle.
Reredos by Sir Ninian Comper 1935. Late C14 octagonal font
with four wild men and four lions against stem. Bowl with symbols of
Four Evangelists alternating with four angels. Tall canopy is 1962.
Ferrers monument (which does not commemorate Abbot Ferrers
(1532-48)) c1525. Terracotta, in two stages. Lower stage with three
deep niches, upper with three projecting bows, all surfaces carved
with Renaissance decoration.
Listing NGR: TG1068601497
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 386100
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Cattermole, Paul, Wymondham Abbey. A History Of The Monastery And Parish Church, (2007)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 12-Jun-2026 at 20:14:33.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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