The Norman church of St Margaret at Hales in Norfolk is situated about a mile from the present village, the medieval settlement that once surrounded the church having been long since abandoned. Fragments of medieval pottery have been unearthed in the fields around the church, and just to the west of the churchyard, in a small wooded copse, is a double-moated site which was probably the site of Hales Hall. Now the church sits at peace in its overgrown, flower-rich churchyard, a refuge from the modern world. The church has the distinctive round tower so typical of East Anglia. Its humble size and appearance belies its architectural importance: the aisleless nave and chancel still have a Norman rounded apse, all dating from around 1140, and as very few apsidal churches survived after the end of the twelfth century due to advances in architectural tastes (most were demolished or rebuilt), Hales is the most intact pre-Gothic church in Norfolk. The Norman north and south doorways have also survived, and are considered to be the best in East Anglia: each is decorated with arches carved with zigzag patterns, chip carving and keel mouldings. The interior is adorned with a fifteenth-century font, fragments of a medieval rood-screen, and wall-paintings of St Christopher and St James.
Hales Church is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The pics.
Thanks for looking
Hales Church is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The pics.
Thanks for looking
