NHER 3295 (Building record) - St Mary's Church, South Wootton

Late Saxon fossil quoins and much conglomerate - possible evidence of demolished Late Saxon corner tower. Chancel of around 1300, very unusual transepts of around 1400? Tower 18th and/or 19th century.
Important Norman font and bier of 1611.
See (S1) and (S2) for further information.
E. Rose (NAU), 29 March 1984.

White's Directory of 1854 refers to the church being recently re-seated and improved and the Post Office Directory for 1858 refers to extensive repairs. Kelly's Directory of 1888 refers to damage to the west tower by lightning in 1881, and Kelly's Directory of 1896 to a new roof being made in 1893, the tower 'renewed' and 'the Hamond mausoleum formerly on the north side removed'. This information does not seem entirely accurate.
See (S3) for further details.
E. Rose (NAU), 4 June 1984.

February 1984. Construction of extension on south side of tower.
This work necessitated making an archway through the west wall. Within the removed area of walling a fragment of roll-moulding in Caen stone, apparently part of a round-headed opening in the 12th-century style, was found and is to be reset in the new building. Openings made in the tower confirmed that it is of a late date and does not have a medieval core.
See (S3) for further details.
E. Rose (NAU), 7 February 1985.

1988.
List description (Grade II*) states that a neo-Norman wooden gallery from St Matthew's, Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich, has been inserted at the west end of the church. This presumably dates from the 1840s when St Matthew's was built.
See (S3) for further details.
E. Rose (NAU), 17 July 1989.

July 1989. Church damaged by fire.
The organ was destroyed and the roof of the church suffered extensive smoke damage.
See (S4).
E. Rose (NAU), 24 July 1989.

February 1990. Restoration underway.
Interior of north transept has been stripped, revealing it to be of the same construction as the exterior, with some reused stone lumps. At the east end of the north wall a blocked rectangular opening was noted, perhaps a late door made when the Hamond mausoleum was erected. The wall above the chancel arch was stripped revealing sockets for 19th century metal letters.
See (S5) for further details.
E. Rose (NAU), 7 February 1990.

(S5) reports that by March 1990 the restoration of the roof and replacement of the organ were underway.
See also (S6) and (S7).
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 6 December 2018.