NHER 2254 (Building record) - St Mary Magdalen's Church, Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen

Complex and interesting church.
Stripping of render in 1987 revealed reused Norman carved stone, ironbound conglomerate and erratics in chancel, which is on different alignment to nave. The tower has a 13th century base and a 14th century top. Chancel as it now stands along with the nave, aisles and south porch are all early 15th century, although the chancel was much altered in detail in the 18th/19th century. Two rood stair turrets rise above the roof, but have differing forms. Construction evidence seen in 1987 suggests stages in 15th century rebuilding - straight joints, covered door to rood turret etc. Furnishings include some stained glass, part of a rood screen, benches, tomb slabs including a crossed coffin slab in secondary provenance (see NHER 13297).
Hermitage once in church or yard.
See (S1) and photographs for further details.
E. Rose (NAU), 9 October 1987.

January to May 1995. Excavation. Contexts 1-82.
Excavations by NAU in advance of nave reflooring revealed two phases of rebuilding. In the 15th century, the new nave and chancel were raised by approximately 0.70m. Further alterations likely associated with the raising of the nave roof to accommodate a clerestory were carried out later. Below the 15th century nave floor, a thin layer of silt likely representing a flood layer was found overlaying what was likely the mortar floor of the earlier church.
Fragments of medieval window glass and a complete late medieval floor tile were recovered.
See report (S2) for further details. Work also noted in (S3) and (S4).
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 1995.78).
E. Rose (NLA), 29 June 1995. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 17 June 2020.

This is one of the sixty five Norfolk churches selected for (S5).
D. Gurney (NLA), 17 February 2006.

September 2007. Visit in advance of archaeological works.
Additional structural details were noted. Original external limewash was identified beneath the render. The top of the buttress was identified as a 19th or 20th century re-build. Test pits in the wood floor beneath the north aisle revealed that the woodwork is supported on rough brick piles and a fragment of Flemish tile dated to about 1500 was recovered from the earth floor beneath. Medieval to early post medieval bricks and tile were revealed below the south aisle pew platform as well as fragments of slate or marble slabs, two 19th century footstones, and some small pieces of stained glass and metalwork.
See (S6) for further details.
E. Rose (NLA), 24 September 2007.

September 2007. Tree-Ring Dating.
Timbers from the south porch were examined, but were found to contain too short a sequence to support tree-ring dating. Eight samples of timber from the south aisle roof were analyzed. Two series matched each other well, and produced a felling date range of AD 1403-35. These dates agree with the known campaign of building work of about 1420-35 AD, when it is believed that the windows were inserted into the south aisle wall.
See (S7) for further details.
H. Hamilton (NLA), 07 May 2008.

March 2008. Building Survey.
A fully illustrated description of the important fenland late medieval church of brick with massive mullion and transom windows. This report is concerned principally with the rendered brick work and tries to establish what was the original render and how best to repair it.
See report (S11).
S. Heywood (HES), 18th October 2012.

January 2010. Excavation and Watching Brief.
Excavation in advance of the insertion of a new floor within the south aisle of the church. Watching Brief also undertaken during trenching for new drains immediately to the south of the church.
See report (S8) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S9).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2010.211).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 8 January 2010. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 10 February 2014 and 16 May 2019.

December 2010. Building recording.
The building recording undertaken at St Mary's Church and the ruin of St Peter's Church (NHER 2284) revealed that both were constructed from the same red brick of varied sizes and that both probably date to the early 15th century.
See report (S10) for further details.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2013.108).
S. Howard (HES), 5 July 2011. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 16 May 2019.