# Church of St Peter. North Barningham, Norfolk. Dec 11.



## Black Shuck (Dec 4, 2011)

The church of Saint Peter no longer holds regular services and is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The church consists of a nave, chancel, north aisle, north porch and a west tower. It stands in the middle of a small churchyard with a hedge all around. The earliest parts of the building date back to 1100. Within the church there is a memorial to the Palgraves who had become the lords of the manor in the 15th century. The Palgraves lived in nearby North Barningham Hall. When Sir Richard Palgrave died without issue in 1732 the association with that branch of the family ended. The Windham family of nearby Felbrigg Hall purchased the hall and estate, demolishing part of the hall soon after. By 1745 there were only two inhabitants of the village left and the church fell into a state of disrepair. By 1886 the church had become out of use and continued to deteriorate until it was restored between 1893 and 1894. The church then saw a period of constant use in the early years of the 20th century but after a steady decline of services and attendance fell back in to disuse. In 1969 in accordance with the Church of England pastoral measure, a petition went forward to have the church declared redundant. In 1973 bearers of the Palgrave surname organised a service on St Peter's Day. This was followed up by the formation of the Palgrave Society to carry out maintenance in the church and churchyard and also organise future services. By organising regular working parties and drawing attention to the historical importance of the church and its monuments it became clear that conservation was the only way forward so in October 1976 the church was officially vested in the redundant Churches Fund. Wikipedia. The Pics...

























































thanks for looking.


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## TeeJF (Dec 4, 2011)

I see you had a productive Sunday then Schuck! Nice place, nice piccies!


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## Black Shuck (Dec 4, 2011)

TeeJF said:


> I see you had a productive Sunday then Schuck! Nice place, nice piccies!



Yeah not so bad TJ. Funds were a bit elusive diesel wise otherwise I would have been off to the Midlands.


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## jonney (Dec 4, 2011)

Nice photos matey loving the black and white one, well worth the trip home for the forgotten camera


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## Black Shuck (Dec 4, 2011)

jonney said:


> Nice photos matey loving the black and white one, well worth the trip home for the forgotten camera



Oooh you just had to din't you!! lol Thanks Jonney!!


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## scribble (Dec 4, 2011)

Lovely little place. That's a super little pipe organ. It looks in good order.


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## Black Shuck (Dec 4, 2011)

scribble said:


> Lovely little place. That's a super little pipe organ. It looks in good order.



Cheers Scribble. I daren't touch it as it looked like it was made of wood that had deteriorated so much it was paper thin, I liked the colours on the pipes.


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## Alansworld (Dec 4, 2011)

That organ is probably worth a small fortune!


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## Black Shuck (Dec 4, 2011)

I haven't a clue.. I just liked it for the colour of the pipes and the cuteness.


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## TeeJF (Dec 4, 2011)

Black Shuck said:


> Yeah not so bad TJ. Funds were a bit elusive diesel wise otherwise I would have been off to the Midlands.



Midlands? Is that where that train graveyard is? I thought that was up your strasse big time!


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## Black Shuck (Dec 4, 2011)

TeeJF said:


> Midlands? Is that where that train graveyard is? I thought that was up your strasse big time!



It is up my strasse as you so eloquently put it TJ. I was thinking of somewhere darker and quieter!


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## highcannons (Dec 4, 2011)

Thanks for posting that, agree about the organ, nice. Enjoyed looking...


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## HypoBoy (Dec 4, 2011)

Black Shuck said:


> Within the church there is a memorial to the Palgraves who had become the lords of the manor in the 15th century. The Palgraves lived in nearby North Barningham Hall. When Sir Richard Palgrave died without issue in 1732 the association with that branch of the family ended. The Windham family of nearby Felbrigg Hall purchased the hall and estate, demolishing part of the hall soon after.



Good to see your post Shuck. The Palgraves were an amazingly noble family - Sir Augustine was knighted by James I in 1604 at Hinchingbrooke and several of them were servants to the Queen. The wikipedia entry is actually slightly misleading. The majority of the estate went to the Barsham family who subsequently lost it to a dodgy solicitor called Samuel Smyth (who has a sickeningly self righteous memorial he clearly wrote for himself in Colkirk). I'm a descendant of the Barsham family and suspect I may be related to the earlier Palgraves buried in the church, but haven't managed to prove as much yet.

The round stones in the second from last pic are the subject of a lot of speculation and thought to be either the entrance to a crypt or the base of a very ancient font.


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## Black Shuck (Dec 5, 2011)

HypoBoy said:


> Good to see your post Shuck. The Palgraves were an amazingly noble family - Sir Augustine was knighted by James I in 1604 at Hinchingbrooke and several of them were servants to the Queen. The wikipedia entry is actually slightly misleading. The majority of the estate went to the Barsham family who subsequently lost it to a dodgy solicitor called Samuel Smyth (who has a sickeningly self righteous memorial he clearly wrote for himself in Colkirk). I'm a descendant of the Barsham family and suspect I may be related to the earlier Palgraves buried in the church, but haven't managed to prove as much yet.
> 
> The round stones in the second from last pic are the subject of a lot of speculation and thought to be either the entrance to a crypt or the base of a very ancient font.


Blimey thanks for that Hypo. I never knew you were n aristocrat!!


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