NHER 4976 (Building record) - St Mary's Church, Cranwich

June 1960. Listed, Grade I.
Listing Description:
Parish church. Medieval and later. Flint with ashlar and some brick dressings. Rendered porch and north wall. Thatched roofs. Circular west tower; aisleless nave with south porch; chancel. Llth century west tower with a circular monolithic ground floor west window, a similar arched first floor window and 4 monolithic openings above with interlace patterns to north, south and west, probably representing original bell stage. Present bell stage with 4 undressed roughly arched openings and a late-Medieval crenellated parapet with 3 gargoyles. South wall of nave with one 14th century cusped lancet window and 2 late-Medieval windows with flat heads of 2 and 3 cusped lights. Late-Medieval porch with arched entrance and cusped 2-light side windows. Late 12th century doorway with chamfered semicircular arch on simple imposts supporting a hood mould with dogtooth decoration. North wall of nave with hollow chamfered doorway of 2 orders and 2 15th century 2-light panel traceried windows. 14th century chancel with 4 2-light Y-traceried windows to north and south and a 3-light Y-traceried east window. Interior. Reduced tower arch with modern doorway inserted. No chancel arch. 14th century piscina in chancel with deeply moulded arch on a pair of engaged colonnetts with bell capitals. Nave with moulded wall plates and arched braces probably of Medieval date, largely obscured by ceiling. Plain 14th century octagonal font. Medieval altar slab used as flooring to north-east side of chancel.
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
H. Hamilton (HES), 15 June 2023.

October 1977. Repairs.
Repairs to the round tower are taking place, aided by grants from the Historic Churches Preservation Trust.
Information from newspaper article (S10).
H. Hamilton (HES), 15 June 2023.

March 1987. Repair work.
It is intended to carry out some pointing, rendering, and and masonry repair on the north side of the church as well as some groundworks to improve drainage.
Information from correspondence (S12).
H. Hamilton (HES), 15 June 2023.

April 1987. Field Observation.
In circular churchyard, or almost so, but possibly due to natural causes. Round tower probably 11th century. Otherwise, about 1300 and 14th to 15th century. Good nave roof but hidden.
Information transcribed from HER Record Card (S4).
See full unpublished report (S13) for further details.
See also photograph (S14).
E. Rose (NAU), 4 April 1987.

October 1993. Trial Excavations and Photographic Survey prior to repairs.
Four trial holes were excavated against the north nave wall and buttresses and north chancel wall in order to investigate the foundations of the church and inform planned building repairs. These confirmed shallow foudnations to the walls (approximately 6 minces deep) with consolidate layers of chalk below them to a depth of approximately 18 inches. The buttresses were found to have no foundations.
Ivy is to be removed from below the easternmost nave window where the roots have penetrated the flintwork and the flintwork will be repaired. Further repairs are to take place to the flintwork on the north walls and buttesses where ivy has been removed. New foundations will be built to the buttresses.
See unpublished report (S16) and photographs (S15).
H. Hamilton (HES), 15 June 2023.

March 2009. Repairs.
Church awarded £59,000 for essential maintenance work
See newspaper article (S19) for further details.
H. White (NLA), 4 March 2009.