STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE - ALL SAINTS CHURCH HEMBLINGTON 

The Church in its Rural Environment

Hemblington Parish is 8 miles from Norwich and 1 mile north of Blofield adjacent to Blofield Heath and includes the settlement of Pedham. It consists of a scattering of farms and older housing, together with areas of more modern development. Hemblington church is isolated at one corner of the Parish approximately 1 mile from the majority of its parishioners.

Hemblington CP School lies in Blofield Heath. The churchyard is open and well tended by local families. A full section and an area not yet needed for burials are managed for nature conservation. From the churchyard there are far reaching views of the surrounding landscape which consists of open arable farmland (designated as an area of Landscape Value in the Broadland District Plan) Routes for Norfolk County Council walks and Broadland cycle trail pass the church.

The origins of Hemblington Church are obscure. It consists of a C11th round tower (WJ Goode dates the origins of the tower and church to the Saxon period), a C14th widened nave and older chancel with an Early English Y-traceried window (C13th), and a C16th porch to the south elevation. Roman tiles and fragments of Norman moulding are found in its flint walls and quoins are dressed mainly in limestone but also with some brick. Roofing is with black pantiles to the main body of the church, the tower having a plain tiled conical cap with a lead guttering behind a low parapet. Rainwater goods are cast iron on the north nave and porch and aluminium on the chancel with lead water spouts to the north and south of the tower. Drainage appears to be by soakaways.

Although Hemblington is a small church it contains some important features. On the North wall of the nave is a medieval wall painting showing 10 episodes from the legend of St Christopher. This is one of the most complete narratives in England “some of the scenes ….are very rare indeed and certainly unique in English wall painting” to quote Anne Marshall.

A unique octagonal font depicting 15 saints, martyrs and the Trinity stands on a two tiered octagonal plinth. The benches are old and the bench ends are decorated with floriated poppy heads, the C18th wooden pulpit has a backboard and canopy. Near the South door there is a C14th coffin lid carved with a floriated cross and an omega sign. Traces of painting can be seen on the nave roof where the sacred monograms HIS and M are visible. The tower contains 2 17^thC bells accessed by a heavy wooden ladder. There is an early 20^thC Estey reed organ which is about to be repaired and used again for weddings and funerals. Music for regular worship is provided by a CD player. Holy Communion Services are held weekly at 9.30am with one Morning Prayer Service each month. Within the parish, All Saints Church provides the sole community building. Beyond is Heathlands Village Hall in Blofield Heath, 1.5 miles away. The church is not normally left open during daylight hours although this is under review, following a successful Open Churches week experiment this year. 

The Area Affected By the Proposal

The Church is in the process of developing its building as a local community space and as a place of quiet retreat and spiritual renewal, for the wider community.  

Our immediate proposal is to address outstanding issues in the Quinquenial survey, mainly dealing with drainage, guttering, and hard lime mortar so as to reduce the damp inside the church. 

We would also like to improve the external lighting and bring mains water into the church. Our intention is then to provide a kitchenette at the back of the nave – new free standing kitchen units will match existing doors to the tower.

When funding permits, we would like to provide a toilet with disabled access and a trench arch system for waste. The plan would be to use the existing bricked up north door as a route in and out for water and waste, thus avoiding damage to the flint walls of the church. Drainage would be via a shallow pipe and drain run to a soakaway in the churchyard.

Bibliography

Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. (1959) The Buildings of England: Norfolk 1: Norwich and North East.

Pilch, Barbara .(2006), The Book of Blofield and Hemblington

Mortlock, D.P. & Roberts, C.R. The Popular Guide to Norfolk Churches.

Cautley, H.M. Norfolk ChurchesParish Church of Hemblington Guide

Marshall, Anne. www.paintedchurch.org/hemblcr.htm

Knott,Simon.www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/Hemblington/Hemblington.htm

Goode, WJ.     Round Tower Churches of South East England (1994)