St Andrew's Church, Frenze
Encyclopedia
St Andrew's Church, Frenze, is a redundant
Anglican
church in the civil parish
of Schole, Norfolk
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. The church stands in an isolated position adjacent to Frenze Hall, near to the long distance footpath
, Boudica's Way
, 1 miles (1.6 km) northeast of Diss
.
without a chancel
. The east window has three lights, and the windows in the north, south and west walls have two lights. The gable
d porch is brick and is in Tudor
style. It is supported by buttress
es, and has two-light windows with brick mullion
s in the side walls. The bellcote sits on the ridge towards the west end of the church.
Inside the church is a large Jacobean
pulpit
with a tester
dating from the early 17th century. Dating from the same period is a manorial
box pew
. Some of the benches date from the 15th century, and one of these is carved with tracery
and poppyheads
on its ends. The font
is octagonal and dates from the 14th century. Above the south door is a Royal coat of arms
. There are two piscina
e, one on each side of the church. The church contains seven brasses
, most in memory of members of the Blennerhassett family. The oldest is dated 1475, and others date from the early 16th century. The single bell was cast in 1707 by Joseph Goldsmith.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church in the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Schole, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. The church stands in an isolated position adjacent to Frenze Hall, near to the long distance footpath
Long-distance trail
Long-distance trails are the longer recreational trails mainly through rural areas, used for non-motorised recreational travelling ....
, Boudica's Way
Boudica's Way
Boudica's Way is a waymarked long-distance footpath in East Anglia, England, United Kingdom.- Historical symbolism :The route commemorates the warrior queen of the Iceni, Boudica who rebelled against early Roman government and military control in the region of what is now South Norfolk.It runs from...
, 1 miles (1.6 km) northeast of Diss
Diss
Diss is a town in Norfolk, England close to the border with the neighbouring East Anglian county of Suffolk.The town lies in the valley of the River Waveney, around a mere that covers . The mere is up to deep, although there is another of mud, making it one of the deepest natural inland lakes...
.
History
The church was built in the early 14th century, and the south porch was added in the early 16th century. A bellcote was built at a later date. Although the church is now redundant, services and other events are held occasionally.Architecture
The body of the church is constructed in stone and consists of a naveNave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
without a chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
. The east window has three lights, and the windows in the north, south and west walls have two lights. The gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d porch is brick and is in Tudor
Tudor architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
style. It is supported by buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es, and has two-light windows with brick mullion
Mullion
A mullion is a vertical structural element which divides adjacent window units. The primary purpose of the mullion is as a structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Its secondary purpose may be as a rigid support to the glazing of the window...
s in the side walls. The bellcote sits on the ridge towards the west end of the church.
Inside the church is a large Jacobean
Jacobean architecture
The Jacobean style is the second phase of Renaissance architecture in England, following the Elizabethan style. It is named after King James I of England, with whose reign it is associated.-Characteristics:...
pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
with a tester
Sounding board
A sound board, or soundboard, is the surface of a string instrument that the strings vibrate against, usually via some sort of bridge. The resonant properties of the sound board and the interior of the instrument greatly increase loudness over the string alone.The sound board operates by the...
dating from the early 17th century. Dating from the same period is a manorial
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
box pew
Box pew
Box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th century.-History in England:...
. Some of the benches date from the 15th century, and one of these is carved with tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
and poppyheads
Poppyhead (carving)
Poppyhead is a form of carving of the end of a bench or a choir stall. The carving consists of leaves and flowers, which are usually in the form of a fleur-de-lys....
on its ends. The font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
is octagonal and dates from the 14th century. Above the south door is a Royal coat of arms
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...
. There are two piscina
Piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
e, one on each side of the church. The church contains seven brasses
Monumental brass
Monumental brass is a species of engraved sepulchral memorial which in the early part of the 13th century began to partially take the place of three-dimensional monuments and effigies carved in stone or wood...
, most in memory of members of the Blennerhassett family. The oldest is dated 1475, and others date from the early 16th century. The single bell was cast in 1707 by Joseph Goldsmith.