St Mary, Kirby Bedon

Kirby Bedon is a deceptively peaceful and remote parish which lies just a few miles from the edge of Norwich's urban sprawl, but is protected from it by the flood plain of the River Yare which meanders lazily Yarmouthwards across the top of the parish. Before the Reformation there were two medieval churches here, just a few metres apart on either side of the village street. One is the current parish church, the square-towered St Andrew, the other was this one, the round-towered St Mary. The 12th Century round tower was built against a slightly earlier church which in turn was partly rebuilt and elaborated in the 13th Century. As was common, a bell stage was added to the tower in the 15th Century. Almost certainly, the church here survived the Reformation, but fell increasingly into disuse, and was eventually abandoned as part of the consolidation of parishes which occured during and after the Commonwealth period. Certainly, it appears to have been disused by about 1700. Strangely, the shape of the churchyard appears to have survived intact, the boundary outline clear, a happy circumstance.

When I last wrote about this ruin in 2008 I observed that what survived of it was the tower with its gap-toothed bell stage, the north and east walls up to a certain level, and the outlines of doors and windows. I also noted that it was well-preserved and you could wander around it. Neither of these things are now true I'm afraid. Storms over the last ten years or so have brought down what remained of the late medieval bell stage of the tower, creating substantial piles of flint rubble at its feet. Just one rather sad tooth of flintwork survives at that level, and is likely not long for this world. Because of this there is currently no access to the site. Hopefully in the future it can be made safe again, because it is well worth exploring. The most curious aspect of it can be seen when looking back west to the tower from within the nave. The tower arch appears to be set inside a much larger arch, presumably dating from before the current tower was built. Was it filled in at some point, and a smaller doorway placed in it? And if so, did this happen when the tower was built? Or after the building was abandoned, to enable the tower to still serve some purpose now lost to us? Romantically, I hoped that the last possibility was the most likely, but the shape of the doorway suggests that it is the first which is correct.

Simon Knott, April 2022

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