All Saints, Norton Mandeville

The parish church of All Saintsis a very small building consisting of nave, chancel, and south porch with a small bell-cote at the west end of the nave. The walls are of flint rubble dating mostly from the first half of the 14th century, but mixed with this are blocks of freestone from a 12th-century church. Buttresses have been built externally at various dates. The south porch dates from 1903.

There is reason to suppose that the original parish church of Norton Mandeville was built between 1181 and 1190. It is probable that this stood on the same site as the present church. The worked stone, visible in the external walls of the church, has late-12th-century detail, including nail-head ornament.

During the first half of the 14th century the church was entirely rebuilt. There are two two-light windows of this period in both north and south walls of the nave, the tracery design being a little different on the two sides. On the south side the original stonework is much decayed. There is a double locker in the north wall and an original piscina with a trefoil head but without a drain on the south side. The roof of the nave has three trusses with 14th-century king-posts with moulded caps and bases and two-way struts. On the westernmost truss two braced posts support the bell-cote which may be of this century or the next. Fourteenth-century slip-ware tiles, recovered during the restoration of 1903, have been set round the font.  In the chancel the single-light window in the north wall is original, that in the south wall a copy, probably retaining its original splay. Farther west is a 'low side' window, probably also of the 14th century. The east window has an original chamfered rear arch and splay: the tracery is a copy of 14th-century work. The piscina is modern but similar in design to that in the nave, the scalloped drain being original.

The chancel roof truss has a chamfered king-post with two-way struts and is probably of the 15th century. Some restoration of the church may have taken place in the 19th century. The wooden frame to the west window appears to be of this date.

If you were the Curate here in 1769 you would have received £6 a year to hold a service once a month for a congregation of six or seven souls. In 1810, the Curate’s income had risen to £94 and by 1851 the congregation is recorded as being around 50.

In 1944 the church was damaged by blast from a rocket bomb.

Carved and painted figures of the lion and unicorn from a royal arms of the early 18th century used to be set on brackets at the base of the westernmost rooftruss of the nave but these has now been removed for safe keeping due to the (sad) risk of theft. The church guide has a picture of them, there is also another on the north wall of the nave.

You should note the brass paraffin lamps which are over 100 years old. They are the only source of lighting in the church.

If you feel like a walk there is another pair of caches in the area with some interesting history.

If you fancy a short walk but don’t fancy the long drive around the houses to get to this spot, it is possible to follow a footpath across the fields from the main road.

The cache

You’re looking for a 35mm film canister. The cache has a log book but no pen so please bring one with you.  

Church Micro Series

If any body would like to expand to this series please do, could you please let sadexploration know first so he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication.