All Saints’ church building
Much of the present church building dates from around 1300. These parts include the tower, the south doorway (possibly somewhat earlier, according to Pevsner), the west window, the north aisle wall with its doorway and windows, the arcades with their octagonal piers, the chancel arch, and the chancel doorway and windows.
The windows in the south aisle, and the piscina and sedilia in the chancel, are in the Decorated style (1290–1350).
Just inside the south door are a pair of grave slabs (photo, below) which tradition says belonged to Sir Hervey de Stanhoe and his wife Isabel. Sir Hervey was Sheriff of Norfolk from 1259 to 1261, and Keeper of the Laity in Norwich in 1272; he died around 1297. It is possible that he started to build the church in about 1280 and died before it was completed.
photo: Pamela Austin
The church was repaired in 1470 and heavily restored in 1853, when the present nave roof was installed. The font, pulpit and other fittings are also of that date. There is some fine Victorian stained glass.
photos: Charles Butcher
Memorial to Mary Esther Hollway,
who died in 1856 aged 24
Spring bluebells at the grave of Gunner Robin Callaby
Stone coffin lid thought to have belonged to Sir Hervey de Stanhoe
drawing: Charles Butcher
“Barry of twelve or and azure a bend ermine”: the arms of Herevi de Stanhowe (Hervey de Stanhoe) as described in St George’s Roll (c.1285)
Sundial scratched near the south door
photo: Pen Roche
Killed by lightning in India, 1885: memorial windows to squire’s son George Hoste Seymour
The list of Rectors goes back to 1221,
before the building of the present church.
Click on the image for a larger version
Links:
All Saints’ page on the Docking Benefice website
Stanhoe’s entry in Simon Knott’s Norfolk Churches website
Stanhoe’s entry in A Church Near You.com
Information on the War Memorial
Our stained glass