The church is thought to date from Saxon times: it has fragments of Saxon limestone work at the NW angle of the nave whilst the lower courses of the tower, of local flint, are also Saxon. It is thought that the use of flint dictated the tower’s shape. Opinions vary as to whether the main part of the tower is Norman or 14th century, with a later top. Putlog holes, which supported scaffolding, are visible.
The tower contains three bells: there is a 15th century tenor bell by Braziers of Norwich with an inscription to Thomas à Becket, a bell by John Darbie dated 1676 and a 1708 bell by John Goldsmith of Redgrave and inscribed ‘Margaret’. Recent investment in a simple chiming mechanism has enabled all three to be rung once again from January 2009. The purchase was funded by donations from members of the village community and the PCC was very grateful for the generous response to the appeal.
Marks on the tower indicate that the nave was once thatched. There is a ground floor lancet window in its west wall and four small slit windows at belfry level, all thought to be 14th century. Although the nave and the chancel, both thought to be 13th century, today present an unusual external profile, the roofs were once level and were altered probably in medieval times, though some think Victorian. The chancel roof was repaired in 2006.
The south porch was built in 1450 by Alice de la Pole, grandaughter of Geoffrey Chaucer and wife of the Duke of Suffolk, of nearby Wingfield Castle. The arch bears the arms (west) of the de la Poles and (east) Chaucer and de Burghersh There is a holy water stoup to the east of the ancient door, which retains its 13th century furniture. As a reminder that the interior of the church was once rich in colour, tiny remnants of paint can be seen in the crevices of some of the carvings around the door
Immediately in view as one enters the church is the font, thought to be 14th century on an earlier base – suggested to be a very old font turned upside down. The wooden cover is dated 1667.
Standing against the north wall is a 13th century chest, banded with iron and with five locks. There are oil lamps in both the nave and the chancel.
The windows in the nave are Perpendicular (1350 -1550), whilst the two lancet windows in the north wall of the chancel are 13th century. The east window is Victorian, with Decorated tracery. If you look carefully at the window to the south of the sanctuary, there is a scratched signature .. an evocative reminder of the everyday.
The doorway to the turret staircase which gave access to the rood screen is blocked but can be seen beside the pulpit, which, like the attractive communion rail and the former altar table, is 17th century. There is a simple piscina in the south wall of the sanctuary.
There are a number of memorials in the chancel, including six slabs and two wall tablets (dating from 1638 to 1825) in memory of members of the Barry family, of Syleham Hall; brass inscriptions to William Fuller (died 1634) and his wife; an 18th century inscription to the Lambe sisters; and a 19th century memorial to Augustus Cooper, perpetual curate for 44 years.
Memorials in the nave include an 18th century slab to the memory of three brothers who all died in their late teens; a wall tablet in memory of Alfred Read of Monks Hall; and recent tablets in memory of Amoret Leader, wife of Colonel Leader of Monks Hall who himself died in February 2008, and of Katharine Anne Napier of Syleham Manor. Most recently, an earlier parchment list of names of those who died during the two World Wars has been replaced by a handsome memorial tablet in Portland stone with gold lettering: this was dedicated by the Rt Revd David Thomson, Acting Bishop of the Diocese, at a special service held on Remembrance Sunday 9th November 2014.
There is a framed list of incumbents from 1315 and a facsimile copy of Syleham’s Domesday Book entry.
If it were not for something that happened in this little church, it is possible that there would be no medieval parish churches in England worth visiting today. For here it was that Earl Bigod surrendered his loyalty to King Henry II in 1174, giving up his castles at Bungay and Framlingham as part of the price. The crown later awarded Framlingham to the Dukes of Norfolk, who championed the cause of Mary I in the 1550s, sheltering her at Framlingham until it was possible for her to become Queen. Thus, Lady Jane Grey did not achieve the throne and finish off the destruction of churches begun by the vileadvisors to her cousin Edward VI. If this had happened, there would be no rood screens, no wall paintings, no stained glass; more to the point, probably no Church of England. A cross memorial up by the road reminds us of that important event.
The church is usually open and well worth a visit
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