Binham
Priory, Binham, Norfolk |
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Binham Priory is a dramatic sight
when come upon unawares and seen across the fields. The combination of
massive ruins and a still standing medieval building is intriguing. Closer
inspection turns out to be very rewarding.
It is in fact a Benedictine priory founded in 1091 by Peter de Valoines, a
nephew of William the Conqueror. The structure is mostly Norman and was
started at the east end in the early 1100s, but only finally completed at
the west end between 1226 and 1244, and by then in the Early English
style. The part still standing is the nave of the larger priory church;
the nave always served as the parish church and still does. The ruins seen
in the picture to the east are the remains of the transepts, crossing
tower and chancel. The full name is
The Priory Church of St Mary and the Holy Cross. The demolition took place
after the Reformation when the site and buildings were granted to the Paston
family. |
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Click on
photos below to enlarge |
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The south side of the church
shows the progression from Norman style (round-arched windows) to Early
English (the first period of Gothic, pointed windows). Also visible, in
the middle picture, the change from the typical Norman corbel table above
the windows to a simple horizontal projection. The church also contains
15th century Perpendicular windows (several vertical mullions and bar
tracery at the top). |
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According to a 13th century monk,
Matthew Paris, the west facade was built when Richard de Parco was prior,
i.e. between 1226 and 1244. The great west window was bricked up in 1809
after it fell into disrepair but it had consisted of splendid bar tracery.
The two pointed windows below the large foiled circle were each divided in
two separated by a foiled circle in exactly the same way as the overall window,
and these in turn divided again in the
same way. So there were three levels of foiled circles of diminishing
size, with four at the lowest level, and eight narrow vertical lights. If
the window was indeed constructed under Richard de Parco, it would be the
first bar tracery in England, slightly predating Westminster Abbey.
The arcaded screen below contains the main entrance. The arches have
dogtooth decoration, a typical Early English decoration, and there are
crocket capitals on the columns of the portal.
The fronts of the north and south aisles on either side of the nave
frontage still stand but the aisles have gone.
The bell-cote is of about 1432. |
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Interior of the parish church,
looking east. This was the nave of the priory church, or, more strictly,
seven out of its nine bays. The pulpitum, separating the lay area from the
monastic area, stood in front of the two further bays and was built up to
form the east wall of the church after demolition of the building beyond.
A Tudor domestic-style window was inserted.
The nave, mostly Norman, consists of ground level arcade, gallery and
clerestory with stepped tripartite arcade and wall passage. The arcade has
twin shafts rising uninterrupted from floor to roof. Some of the arches of
the arcade have typical Norman decorative mouldings, whilst the third arch
from the east on the north side is thought to be unique. |
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South-east corner of church,
showing arch mouldings, triple sedilia, blocked doorways and piscina. |
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At the west end the Early English
style with its pointed arches appears. On the north wall, for instance,
this can be seen on the final bay at ground level, on two bays at gallery
level and on three bays at clerestory level.
Visible in the first picture, the large poppy-heads of the 16th century
benches.
Octagonal font in the Perpendicular style. The upper step has has panel
and quatrefoil decoration. Statuettes against the stem and the Seven
Sacraments against the bowl. |
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The remnants of the crossing
tower piers. Norman, and built prior to the nave, but precise dates
unknown. |
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First picture, part of the
chancel remains east of the tower. Next two pictures show areas of the
priory to the south of the church which included the cloister, refectory,
chapter house and domestic buildings. |
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Links |
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Sketch
of the medieval priory
Ground plan of the priory
- both from the
Parish Website
Aerial
photograph
Ground
plan with dates of phases
- both from
The Norfolk Archaeological Trust
Map |
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More
of Norfolk on Astoft |
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