About Us

SUMMARY

North Wall pre-Conquest. Exceptionally tall 14th century tower. Chancel 13th century, the rest is 14th century. Splendid Nave roof. Jacobean Pulpit, Carolingean unique elevated pew: faculty from Archbishop Laud. Fine set of 6 bells - one of heaviset in the county. The Church is open for visits

A Short guide to All Saints Church Tibenham

The largest and most ancient building in the village is the church of All Saints  - the tower of which can be seen for miles around. The north wall contains some Saxon flintwork and remains of one window, pointing to the church standing here prior to the Norman conquest. The chancel and nave belong to the Decorated period (1250 - 1550).

Significant Features

The Nave

The nave roof first, massively arch braced and tie beamed, and with deep and sturdy wall posts punctuating moulded wall plates, with clerestory windows and added later.

The Font, probably dating from 1290 - 1350 is octagonal in shape and supported by a cetral pier, with eight flatly carved windows

The Octagonal Pulpit, a Jacobean masterpiece, complete with thye vast tester 9top0 rich in carving, turquoise and gilt with a back panel of equal opulence. Unusual for a country church.

Medieval Wall Painting

Hidden in arch recess, near the pulpit, is a very old wall painting, which was mutilated by the later widening of the chancel arch. A man's outline remains, and is thought to be a painting of Our Saviour.

The 19th Century Zigzag Scrolls and Decalogues

The Organ, erected in 1872 and recently restored

Outside:

On the north side of the church can be seen the remains of a Saxon window, and an unusual buttress.

The Tower

The tower is open to visitors once a year. In Norfolk and Suffolk flint is almost the only material used for their great wealth of churches. Stone, necessary for doorways, windows and buttresses was carried at great cost and therefore used with strict economy. The combination of the two materials create a very beautiful architectural pattern  known as flushwork and our impressive five hundred - year - old tower has a handsome chequered  pattern base and buttresses. The tower (nearly one hundred feet tall) is crowned with the emblems of the four Evangelists, a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. From the outside, a former doorway can be seen - it is now blocked up and a smaller window inserted. The original door for this opening can be seen inside, cut down to size, as the Vestry door. Kept in the Vestry in chests, were ancient documents relating to the village government, plus birth, marriage and death registers dating from 1560. The oldest has three locks, a key was held by each of the Churchwardens and the Vicar had the third.  There is also another beautifully carved chest thought to be from the medieval period. The stair turret in the south west corner of the tower was twelve steps leading to the ringing chamber, where Tibenham youngsters throughout the ages have carved their names. Although there are five slitsor surrounding holes, the turrest stairs were still very dark and spiral steeply. After another thirty odd steps you reach a heavily bound reinforced door, suggesting this was once the treasury, now the silence chamber.

The tower which contains six bells, seems to have been completed by about 1430 and the bells were hung shortly after the fabric was considered to have settled. (1451) The original bell frame, which is now listed as grade one by English Heritage, is arch - braced and was designed for four very large bells, one of which, the fourth, was given by John Buxton of Channonz costing £13.6s. 8d. in 1480. The bells were restored in 2003 and put into a new metal bell frame. The Tibenham bells are considered some of the finest heavy bells in the country. In the early 20th Century, Tibenham had a famous band of ringers, most of whom died in World War 1

South Aisle and the Buxton Family

The south aisle is arch braced with excellent open carving and shoelds in the spandrels and was built by the Buxton family, Lords of the Manor until the mid 20th century. The earliest records of this family began with John Buxton Junior in 1464 (died 1522) who with careful land management and fortuitous marriages the family grew to be one of the major land owning families in the region. The unique Buxton Pew, right under the roof with its own "country house" bannistered staircase, completes the Buxton influence. A special faculty, (legal document) was granted to the family in April 1635 and was authorised by the ill - fated Archbishop Laud (later impeached in Charles I reign and beheaded at the age of 71). Originally four old brasses adorned the east end, which is so called St Nicholas Chapel, omly three survive, the earliest dated 1572 in memory of Johannes Buxton. Unmissable are the diamond shaped hatchment, (a femal one) and the Buxton Arms on the sides of the Pew. At the back of the pew, on the left hand wall can be seen post Reformation script (reign of Edward VI). Below the pew are the remains of a painted Rood screen