Stained Glass Windows - St Andrew, Bridge Road, Great Ryburgh, Norfolk, NR21 0DZ
Posted by: 
greysman
N 52° 48.432 E 000° 54.560
31U E 359078 N 5852871
The glass throughout this church is from 1868-1875 but in an archaic 1840s style by William Wailes.
Waymark Code: WMVF4K
Location: Eastern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 04/10/2017
Views: 0
This church is an example of a cruciform round tower church. Grade II* listed, the church tower has bands of carstone decoration which usually means it is a Saxon building, so the tower is probably early C11th and there was a church here before this date. On top of the Saxon work is an octagonal bell chamber of at least early C14th, built before the fashion for the flushwork we see in later C14th church towers around Norfolk took hold, and containing a ring of six bells hung for ringing in the full-circle English style. The west end is also C11th with a C13th Perpendicular nave and chancel details, Decorated north and south transepts and late C19th south porch. The church is built of flint with stone dressings with a slated roof; the base of the tower, as mentioned, has carstone decoration and the quoins at the north-west corner of the nave are also of carstone.
The three bay nave with two north and two south three-light windows, the central light in each for each of the Evangelists, the outer panes a combination of symmetrical patterns, symbols and small scenes, some of the best late 19th century glass in Norfolk the work of William Wailes. His stained-glass firm was established in 1838 in Newcastle-on-Tyne and became one of the largest in the country. It grew on the back of the massive upsurge in the restoration of churches and cathedrals.
The second-bay nave window on the south side is of St.John ( Sanctus Ioannes ) showing him in the centre panel under reticulated arches. The left-hand light contains the wording '+ THEY THAT BE WISE SHALL SHINE + / + AS THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE FIRMAMENT + / + THEY THAT TURN MANY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS +' in three banners with icons of St.Matthew and St.Mark. The right-hand light contains the wording '+ O DEATH WHERE IS THY STING + / + O GRAVE WHERE IS THY VICTORY + / + THANKS BE TO GOD WHICH GIVETH US THE VICTORY +', also in three banners between icons of St.John and St.Luke. This window was given 'In Memory of / Edward Tolveb Gwyn / Died January 2nd 1866' and 'restored by his family in memory of Michael J.Savory 1931 2010'.
The chancel has two north and south Decorated three-light windows, and a remodelled Perpendicular east window.
The south transept has two straight-headed east and west windows, and a south three-light reticulated Decorated window with some finer small treacery inside the reticulation. The north transept has two two-light Decorated east windows and a three-light Decorated north window with reticulation and quatrefoils.
The glass throughout the church is all of 1868-1875 in an archaic 1840s style and images may be seen on Simon Knott's Great Ryburgh page at Great Ryburgh
Words from British Listed Buildings, Simon Knott's Norfolk Churches and Pevsner's Norfolk 2 Buildings with amendments from own on site observations.
Coordinates are for the south porch entrance.