NHER 3369 (Building record) - All Saints' Church, North Runcton

August 1960. Listed Grade I.
Listing Description excerpt:
"Parish church, 1713, by Henry Bell. Rendered, plain tiles; base of carstone with stone dressings. West tower with attached vestries north and south, nave and aisles in one, chancel. Three-stage tower: rusticated quoins to first and second stage, angle pilasters to third stage; parapet with urn finials at angles...Single storey vestries to north and south set back, each with high parapet having blank pediment...South nave rusticated at angles; three bays, central bay breaking forward under pediment containing sundial...North nave as south but without sundial and with deep shaped buttresses at angles. Chancel of carstone and sandstone with limestone cap to plinth; red brick pilasters at angles...Large lead covered vault c.1837 with limestone slab walls within angle of north chancel and nave buttress, shields of Gurney and Gurney impaling Hay.
Interior:...East wall and sanctuary returns with panelling designed by Henry Bell, 1684, for Church of St Margaret Kings Lynn
...The former church was destroyed by the collapse of the tower 15 August 1701; Henry Bell, architect, lived in the parish."
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
P. Watkins (HES), 18 May 2022.

This church mostly dates to 1713 constructed by Bell in the Classical style and using materials from the old church. This rebuilding was necessary as the tower of the previous church collapsed in 1701 flattening the church. The current tower is basically built from Norman materials with carved fragments that might be older. Church extended and altered in late 19th century. Internal furnishings of 1713; font from St Margaret's Lynn but not the panelling as often wrongly stated.
See detailed report (S2) and numerous photographs (S3) and (S4) in file.
This survey is also noted in (S8).
E. Rose (NLA) 23 January 2001.

See press cuttings (S5) and (S6) in file.
Another press cutting filed under NHER 3368.

2004.
Stripping out of north vestry confirmed that this was an original entrance porch.
Again see (S2).
E. Rose (NLA) 24 April 2004.

January 2007. Building Survey.
All Saints church was constructed between 1703 and 1713 following the collapse of the earlier medieval church. The church has a western tower and a centrally planned nave of four columns supporting a domical groin vault. There are slight pedimented projections to the north and south and a large chancel. The nave and tower are rendered and the chancel is exposed carstone. The interior of the nave bears resemblance to Byzantine churches in the centuries after the Emperor Justinian. Four ionic columns support the vault of which the groins are decorated with putti. The reredos with gold-painted pilasters and panelling fills the entire east wall and was designed by Henry Bell in 1684 for St Margaret's in King's Lynn from where it came to Runcton. The paintings are late 19th century by Lamponi.
See (S7) for further information.
S. Howard (NLA), 15 June 2010.

June 2014
The 18th century church was constructed on the site of its medieval precursor (S9)
J. Albone (HES). 14 June 2014