North Creake in Norfolk

North Creake in Norfolk is a small village barely two miles away from South Creake. Both villages are situated on the River Burn, and both have remarkable and substantial churches. Between the two villages is Creake Abbey. We visited in September, on a day in which the rain was always threatening and our first stop was in North Creake.

The Church of St Mary in North Creake

St Mary’s Church in North Creake in Norfolk is a vast building standing beside the road on the outskirts of the village.

The square tower the nave date from the 15C and was added to an earlier Mediaeval building. As always Simon Knott¹ provides lots of detail about the building. Like many of the churches there was considerable restoration work here in the 19C. The Rood Screen apparently dates from the late 19C restoration of the church. The restoration was by Hicks and Charlewood, an architectural practice based in Newcastle upon Tyne. The patch on the wall over the Rood Screen was, apparently a Doom painting.

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North Aisle

The four panels behind the altar date from 14C and show the figures of Mercy, Fortitude, Justice, and Temperance.²https://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=2972%5B/efn_efn%5D A parclose screen separates the altar from the main body of the aisle.

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The Font

The font dates from the 12C but the spectacular font cover

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The ceiling

I am always surprised by the wonderful roofs built in the14C-16C, particularly the Angel Roofs. North Creake has a hammer beam roof with carved figures on the brace under the hammer beam. I really needed my zoom lens and a tripod to fully enjoy the details! Another ‘next time’.

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The Church of St Mary in North Creake in Norfolk is very impressive, and best of all, perhaps, was the wonderful selection of homemade jams for sale. The Seville orange and lemon marmalade with preserved ginger was very yummy indeed!

1. http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/northcreake/northcreake.htm