Wymondham Abbey England, UK

Spring at Wymondham Abbey 2 — Just thought it would be nice to get some photos of Wymondham Abbey on a bright April's afternoon with all the sheep and lambs by it. Sadly, I took these photos in ISO 800 without realising, but you can't really tell. :) Image credit: Jason Brown

Listed Building Description

Text courtesy of Historic England. © Crown Copyright, reprinted under the Open Government License.

WYMONDHAM

TF1001 CHURCH STREET 655-1/10/39 (South West side) 29/12/50 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)

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. 5 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. 9 clerestory windows of 3 and 2-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 2 bays of Norman gallery are evident. North aisle enlarged 1432-45 in 8 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 9 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 2 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 2 pairs of engaged columns and double-rolled round arches to each bay. Clerestory with moulded rere-arches. Late C15 hammerbeam roof. Hammerbeams 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 4 wild men and 4 lions against stem. Bowl with symbols of 4 Evangelists alternating with 4 angels. Tall canopy is 1962. Ferrers monument (which does not commemorate Abbot Ferrers (1532-48)) c1525. Terracotta, in 2 stages. Lower stage with 3 deep niches, upper with 3 projecting bows, all surfaces carved with Renaissance decoration.

Listing NGR: TG1068601497