File:St Edmund's church Acle Norfolk (4377106351).jpg

W. Lane Norwich

ACLE NORWICH ROAD TG 41 SW 2/8 Church of St. Edmund. 25.9.62. I Parish Church. C13 and C14 with some restoration in the 1860's by R.M. Phipson (nave) and Ewan Christian (chancel). Flint with limestone and brick dressings. Nave roof thatched, chancel slated; lead roofs to north and south porches. West tower, nave, chancel, north and south porches. Round west tower with C13 octagonal bell stage with tall single lancet in each face. C15 embattled parapet with flushwork panels and corner pinnacles in the form of figures on octagonal bases. Perpendicular 3-light west window. Polygonal stair turret at south-west junction with nave, rendered over. C15 two-storey south porch; two-light upper window in gable with square label mould. Square headed 2-light east and west windows. Stair toparvise in south-east angle, supported on a shallow brick arch. Nave windows generally of early C14 with cusped 'Y' tracery, some restored. Earlier two-light window without cusping on west side of porch. C16 rood stair turret at south east corner of nave with flint with brick quoins, and elongated quatrefoil openings. Chancel windows 3-light Decorated divided by staged buttresses. Low side window on south of chancel unglazed and fitted with wooden shutter. 3-light Decorated east window, restored. Angle buttresses to east gable. 2-light window with square head and label mould at north-east of nave. C15 north porch of knapped and galleted flint with polygonal stair turret at north east angle. Gable has angle buttresses with flushwork in base courses. Doorway with carved spandrels : kneeling figures with rosaries, possibly the donors. Above the doorway a triple opening with central stooled niche flanked by two lower openings with cusped ogee heads, all under square label moulds. 2-light 'Y' tracery window to west of porch. C19 flue of stone-dressed flint on west side, with octagonal stone chimney cap. Roofs C19; ribbed barrel vault with boarded ceiling over nave, scissor-braced rafter roof over chancel. Rood stair turret at south east corner of nave contains reconstructed remains of Romanesque doorway found in nave walls in 1927. C15 screen with 2-light divisions with ogee heads in two tiers. Painted panels in base. Very fine C15 octagonal font on two steps, the upper one decorated with quatrefoils and an inscription giving the date 1410. Stem carved with four lions and four wild men. The panels of the bowl carved with the Trinity, four angels, a Pieta and angels with the Instruments of the Passion and the Evangelistic symbols. Remains of original colouring. C19 stone tower screen with central ogee-headed doorway. North wall of chancel has C14 inscription referring to the Black Death of 1349, and a brass to Thomas Stones (+1627) Monument to Jerimiah Berry, +1767, on south wall of chancel by W. Lane of Norwich. Triple dropped-cill sedilia with ogee arches. Good piscina with shelf and crocketted head.