Sustead SS Peter & Paul

What you need to know about this church

SS Peter and Pauls Church Sustead

Where to find this church

Church Information

St Peter and St Pauls church is located in Sustead, a Norfolk village about 5 miles south-west of Cromer.

* denotes external links that open in a new window

Sustead St Peter Paul church
Tower from the west
Sustead St Peter Paul church
South porch

Visiting Sustead SS Peter & Paul

Sustead St Peter and St Paul is another church that is situated in the rural hinterland of the North Norfolk coast close to the famous seaside resort of Cromer. The unusual thing about its round tower is the fact that there is a south doorway into the tower, but no connection from the nave into the tower. The tower is late 13th or early 14th century, added on to an earlier church, with Y tracery in the belfry openings. There is some brick work between the openings, so it cannot be any earlier, as bricks were not made in this country until late 13th century. The brick battlemented parapet was added in 1745.  There is no sign of a previous belfry lower down the tower. The west quoins of the nave are formed of lumps of dark brown ferricrete, with brick extensions higher up. The Church has a major rebuilding in the 14th century, the prominent Rood stair turret, of red brick with a white flint pattern, was added in the 15th century. The nave windows are square-headed 15th century, but the chancel windows retain their 14C curving tracery. However the chancels east wall was totally rebuilt in red brick in 1897 and the east window style is 15th century. There is a blocked arch at the east end of the north nave, where there was once a transept, and further east a doorway into the chancel, which once gave access to a vestry.

Inside, the west end is screened off, to provide a vestry. The 15th century font stands by the north doorway. It has shields all around the bowl, which would probably have been coloured showing the heraldry. These show E Paston (fleurs-de-lys), SE Lancaster (for John of Gaunt, three lions), S Trinity symbol, SW Damme (three dolphins), W Gresham (three stars and shells), NW Browne (three pigs), N Gresham (three stars and shells), NE Felbrigg (rampant lion). The south nave windows have fragments of 15th century glass, the one near the door showing musical angels, one with a bagpipe, and the other has St Mary Magdalene with long hair, and St Catherine holding her symbol of a catherine wheel. The fine 17th century pulpit came here from North Barningham, and the Rood screen is 14th century.

Conclusion: pretty church in beautiful surroundings

Sustead St Peter Paul church
15th century font
Sustead St Peter Paul church
Pulpit