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St Peter, Reymerston
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St Peter, Reymerston I recall my first visit here many
years ago, on one of those glorious cold, bright February
days in the first years of the century. It was late
afternoon and the light was thinning out, the Norfolk
landscape with its copses and fields fading into shadow.
We had been out all day and decided on just one more
church before heading homeward, and it was Reymerston.
Peter thought it would probably be open, but in winter
I've encountered a few keyholders who lock the place up
in mid-afternoon, so I just hoped. The glass in the east window is also Flemish and early 16th Century. It depicts three large figures, St John and St Peter flanking the figure of Christ, and it must also have come been given by a collector. After the exotic excitement of the sanctuary you might think that the rest of the chancel would provide some relief, but here is another oddity, for what at first appear to be choirstalls are likely to have been intended as communicant stalls as at Messing in Essex, where they are 17th Century. These are likely to be later gothick versions, I think, and the picture emerges of an attempt at that time to recreate a Laudian liturgical space with continental and locally made furnishings. At the other end of the church the lovely 15th Century font is notable in another way. The deeply cut panels alternate the evangelistic symbols with seated figures who are perhaps prophets. What makes them memorable is their curly hair, which wouldn't be out place in Art Deco sculpture. When the 1851 Census of Religious Worship took place, the congregation of 125 was roughly a third of the population of the parish, so about average for this part of Norfolk. But the entry for Reymerston included the tantalising detail that the income of the inclubent here was just under £500, which is to say about £100,000 in today's money, and thus one of the highest in Norfolk. Not surprisingly the work was put out to a curate, RB Scholefield of Hingham, but he loyally noted on his return that from the gross of section V, allowance must be made for outgoings, which amount to a considerable yearly sum. Simon Knott, November 2020 Follow these journeys as they happen at Last Of England Twitter. |
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