"Situated at the top of Elm Hill, in the narrow cobbled streets of Norwich, stands the old church, of St.Peter Hungate, rebuilt in the 15th century by John Paston and his wife Margaret. There are no visible remains of the original church, that once stood on this site. The tower and chancel were completed in 1431, and the nave and transepts in 1460, with the porch being built in 1497. Following the Reformation the church fell into poor condition, and in 1604 the chancel roof collapsed. Over the next two centuries, it was well kept, until the beginning of the 20th century when it once again had fallen into a dangerous state. It was not until 1906 that the building was restored, saving it from threatened demolition, and since 1936 the building has been a museum to house church artefacts.
The church is built of whole, split and squared flints, and the gaps between the stones are packed with flint chipping’s. The corners and frames of the windows are constructed of Ancaster stone, with walls of Medieval and Tudor bricks. Following the disaster of 1604 when the chancel roof collapsed, its replacement is covered with pin tiles, whilst the nave and transepts are of lead. During roof repairs over the transept in 1966, impressions were discovered of two coins in the lead. One an Elizabethan sixpence of 1564, the other a thaler of Lubeck, Germany of 1559, these can be found within the museum. Remains of small stone crosses are at the east and west ends of the chancel roof, and at each end of the transept.
The exterior of the church viewed from Princes Street, produces neat flint walling of the nave and transepts, compared with the chancel walls of 1604, built with rough rubble. The tower originally had an additional storey, with battlements on top, but this was removed during the restorations of 1906, and replaced with a pyramid rooftop. A turret located between the porch and tower, holds a corkscrew staircase leading to a parvise, above the porch, and then up to the tower. An empty niche found above the porch door, once held a statue, believed to have been removed during the Reformation.
From Elm Hill, one can admire the elegant tracery of the west window dated 1431, and the north side of the building. Located on a buttress beside the traceried north door, we find a carved stone, of a tree trunk, branches and leaves dedicated to the restoration of 1460, along with a record of building a new church on the site of an old one. Located between the north transept and chancel, is the turret, which once held the rood loft stairs. On the north side of the chancel, a small blocked window, indicates where the vestry built in 1753, rebuilt in 1847 and finally demolished in 1906, once stood.
In 1328 part of the old churchyard was leased to the Cathedral Priory, then in 1617 Thomas Sedgewick turned part of it into a garden, and in 1854 the graveyard was closed for burials.
As one enters this porch, built in 1497, with money bequeathed by Thomas Ingham, who is buried beneath the floor. The ceiling contains six carved wooden bosses with emblems of the Evangelist’s (St.Matthew, St.Mark, St.Luke, and St.John), and two with flowers. By the church door, we find a bracket that once held a holy water stoup. It was common practice, as one entered the church they would dip their fingers in consecrated water, and cross themselves. This ritual was forbidden in 1548 by Edward VI.
The traceried doors date from the restoration carried out in 1460. A door situated at the west end, leads to the tower.Close by is the finely carved 15th century font, with a cover dating about 1605. Located behind the font is the tower’s base, which has been screened off as the Museum Attendant Roomtower window contains the figure of God, with an angel above, with a censer. The outer lights contain figures of angels, playing musical instruments to symbolise rejoicing, standing on blue patterned ground, of clouds and stars.
On the west wall, we find a monument dedicated to Matthew Goss who in 1757, presented the city with a chain, which is still worn by the Lord Mayor to this day. When he died in 1799, he bequeathed to the church, a silver tray, cup and cover; these can be seen in the case which holds the communion plate.
Painted upon a canvas, hanging over the north door, are the arms of King George II. Following the Reformation, when Henry VIII declared himself, head of the Church of England, they symbolised the royal authority, over the established church. By the reign of James I (1603-1625), the custom of displaying the royal arms was expected, and this continued until the 19th century.
The nave and transepts were rebuilt during the church’s restoration, undertaken in 1460. The nave contains a fine hammer-beam roof, adorned with carved angels, some holding scrolls, whilst others hold a mitre, book or recorder in their hands. Contained within, we find fine examples of angels painted on glass or carved on wood and stone, and embroidered on vestments, most of them, have their bodies covered in feathers. The central roof boss, is carved with a representation of the Last Judgement. Christ sits enthroned on a rainbow, below his right foot a naked soul rises to Heaven, below his left foot the souls of the damned, are being dragged by a demon into the mouth of a dragon, representing Hell. On the right hand of Christ, kneels the Virgin Mary, and on his left hand kneels a saint. The roof timbers are supported by hand carved corbels, set in groups of four. Found in the nave, are the carved theologians of the early church better known as the Four Latin Doctors, (St.Augustine, St.Ambrose, St.Gregory and St.Jerome). At the crossing are the Four Evangelists with their symbols. Found by the windows at the end of each transept are the heads of men and women, whilst in the south transept are those of, John and Margaret Paston, believed to be dedicated, to those who subscribed to the church’s rebuilding program.
Found in the south transept, a piscina recessed into the wall with a drain, used by priests for washing communion vessels after Mass. The remnants of a stone altar located in this chapel and seats for the clergy, were found back in 1851. Now blocked up, there was a peep-hole or squint for the priest to view the high altar. It is believed that squints were used to enable the parish clerk, standing in the tower with the bell rope in his hand, to observe when the priest at the altar raised the Host. Then the Sanctus Bell would be rung, to advise people outside church of the Elevation of the Host. The south transept niche once held a statue of St.John the Baptist.
Local merchant Thomas Ingham paid for the chancel to be rebuilt. Centuries earlier there had been doors to divide the transepts and nave. Above this screen was a rood loft, containing a crucifix flanked by statues of the Virgin Mary and St.John. In the north transept, the old blocked doorways, leading to the corkscrews stairs from the rood loft, can still be seen. The crucifix and statues were removed from the rood loft during the reign of Edward VI, and the loft was dismantled during the reign of Elizabeth I. The screen was destroyed in 1604 when the chancel roof collapsed, and pushed the transepts and the pillars of the chancel arch, outwards. A new roof was paid for by the church’s patron, Sir William Paston slightly rough and clumsy, compared with the Medieval roof of the nave and transepts.
According to early 19th century pictures, the chancel floor was then flat, with a single step up from the nave, the present stepped chancel floor dates from late Victorian times. The churches floor is covered with Norfolk paving tiles, rescued from old buildings, and laid here in 1933.
Found in the windows of this church are the remains of the original painted glass. In the 16th century, Norwich craftsmen, influenced by Continental work, produced larger figures in deep colours. In this church there was a window with pictures of the Four Evangelists, on the chancel’s south side, with a window depicting the Four Latin Doctors opposite. Some remnants remain in the east window; St.John with a crimson dragon, rising from a gold chalice, of the Doctors only the head of St.Gregory, with a dove whispering into his ear. In the same window we see St.Agatha who was martyred in Sicily about 250AD, and a priest, dated 1522, shown praying, then dying, and finally kneeling outside the gates of Paradise. Believed he may have been employed to pray, and celebrate Mass for the purpose of the soul of a patron, who had left money for this purpose.
It is likely, that most windows in the church were once filled with coloured glass, but little evidence remains. During the reign of Edward VI, and when the Puritans were in power during the mid 17th century, much painted glass was destroyed for fear of being superstitious.
As its congregation moved away, St.Peter Hungate became an unwanted church in the city, and in the early 1900’s ceased to be a place of worship.Many of the exhibits on show within the museum, are pre-reformation, saved from Medieval churches in the area. Here we see a treasure of church art, and historical monuments, through the ages."
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