On Wednesday, with a favourable forecast of sunshine and a modest breeze, I decided to do some more historic churches, concentrating on a cluster west of North Walsham, to the coast, and north of Stalham – based on a circular route of about 40 miles. On my return journey I took the opportunity to ‘tick off’ a church I’d missed on an earlier ride – in total I cycled 85km and visited 18 churches.

The Route

The Churches

St Peter & St Paul Knapton, All Saints Mundesley, St Margaret Paston, All Saints Edingthorpe, St Andrew Bacton, St Margaret Witton by Walsham, All Saints Crostwight, St Peter Ridlington, All Saints Walcott, St Mary Happisburgh, St Andrew Hempstead, All Saints Lessingham, St Mary East Ruston, St Peter Brunstead, St Nicholas Dilham, St Peter & St Paul Honing, St Nicholas North Walsham and, missing from Route 1, St Margaret Thorpe Market.

The Photos 

St Peter & St Paul, Knapton

Detail of the roof with elaborate fluttering angel supports

All Saints, Mundesley, in the heart of ‘Poppy Land’

The gallery at the west end

St Margaret, Paston

In the chancel, several tombs of the Paston family – who live on through the extensive collection of their letters

Never one to ignore a birding moment – these Whooper Swans, depicted in one of the stained glass windows

All Saints, Edingthorpe, with it’s unusual saxon round tower topped with a medieval hexagonal addition

Inside, extensive 14th century wall paintings

St Andrew, Bacton

And an unusual grave stone – rather Arts and Crafts looking I thought

St Margaret, Witton by Walsham

All Saints, Crostwight, with it’s unusual tiled tower roof  – tucked away down a grass track

St Peter, Ridlington

Inside, an interesting fragment of medieval? glass

All Saints Walcott

St Mary, Happisbugh, a huge church perched on the cliff edge

The light and spacious interior, decorated for a wedding I assume

St Andrew, Hempstead, undergoing extensive renovation to the chancel

Detail of a gargoyle water spout

All Saints, Lessingham – a  lovely wildflower haven

St Mary, East Ruston

A delightful rood screen – the entrance to the chancel guarded by two carved lions

St Peter, Brunstead

St Nicholas, Dilham – re-built in the 1930’s, with little of real interest, except perhaps it’s isolated location

St Peter and St Paul, Honing

Interior of St Nicholas, North Walsham – the exterior is currently covered in scaffolding!

Finally, missed during my very first Norfolk churches cycle tour – St Margaret of Antioch, Thorpe Market