# St James Church, Bawsley, Norfolk, September 2016



## HughieD (Sep 28, 2016)

Passed this place so many times and seen it hanging there in the distance. Finally got to go round this photogenic ruin when I parked up in a lay-by on the A149 and walked across the farmer’s field. Just east of Kings Lynn, the hill-top remains of Bawsey Old Church are visible from miles around. Seen by many but visited by few. The silhouette is quite impressive from the King’s Lynn A149 By Pass, between the Queen Elizabeth and Knights Hill roundabouts. The village of Bawsey St James was still thriving up to the 16th century. Until, that is, the landowner decided to depopulate the village and give the whole area over to farmland. Fortunately the old church of St James was just left to decay. The surviving sections of the tower and nave date from the 11-12th centuries, whilst the remaining part of the chancel is 14th-15th century. It is built from local carstone and iron conglomerate and occasional flint and limestone dressings, constructed in the Romanesque style. It was dedicated to St.James and fell into ruin as far back as 1745.

It became a TV star in March 1999 when Channel 4’s Time Team excavated the surrounding area and found a 14th-century tile. On it was the lettering ‘THOMAS’ printed backwards. It is thought to refer to Thomas de Wigginhall, whose term of office as prior at Castle Acre ended in 1376. Also found on the hillside around the church, was a skeleton of which the skull had sustained a powerful blow from a swordsman. Bawsey Old Church was possibly the site of an earlier pre-Norman settlement that was raided by Viking Norsemen.


img7640 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img7642 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img7662 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img7645 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img7648 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img7651 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img7653 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img7655 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img7657 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Thanks for looking!


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## thorfrun (Sep 28, 2016)

Excellent pics, love the way the different rooflines show in the tower wall.


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## Sam Haltin (Sep 28, 2016)

Nice pictures. Definitely looks Norman.


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## oldscrote (Sep 28, 2016)

Very nice,definitely a norman arch,the 2 different rooflines probably show an original thatched roof followed later by a tiled one


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## Sean of Wales (Sep 28, 2016)

Are we allowed to post historical ruins like churches and castles? I got quite a few of Kidwelly and Pembroke and didn't know to post them. Cool shots by the way, this is the first I've seen of it and I love stuff like this.


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## HughieD (Sep 29, 2016)

Cheers folks.



Sean of Wales said:


> Are we allowed to post historical ruins like churches and castles? I got quite a few of Kidwelly and Pembroke and didn't know to post them. Cool shots by the way, this is the first I've seen of it and I love stuff like this.



Good question. Like you I'm a massive castle fan. The guideline I tend to use is that if they are a tourist attraction and owned by say National Trust, English Heritage etc I'd say not. This place is in that grey area. Not a complete abandonment but not really a tourist site.


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## jsp77 (Sep 29, 2016)

nicely done HughieD


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## HughieD (Sep 30, 2016)

Cheers JSP!



oldscrote said:


> Very nice,definitely a norman arch,the 2 different rooflines probably show an original thatched roof followed later by a tiled one



Think you are on the money there mate...


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## night crawler (Sep 30, 2016)

Very nice work there HughieD and I like how you managed to show the tree differnt rooflines. Whar a superb piece of history


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## night crawler (Sep 30, 2016)

Sean of Wales said:


> Are we allowed to post historical ruins like churches and castles? I got quite a few of Kidwelly and Pembroke and didn't know to post them. Cool shots by the way, this is the first I've seen of it and I love stuff like this.


Yes Thiugh I have not as such. Kidwelly s is a good one to post especally if you show a good shot of the holein the ground they used to throw prisoners.


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## Zorg2006 (Nov 19, 2016)

thanks for pics, I lived that way for about 5 years and always wanted to see this up close but never got the chance,
great place, and stands out on top of the hill.


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## HughieD (Nov 19, 2016)

Zorg2006 said:


> thanks for pics, I lived that way for about 5 years and always wanted to see this up close but never got the chance,
> great place, and stands out on top of the hill.



Glad you liked them Zorg2006!


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