Ashmanhaugh St Swithin
St Swithins Church Ashmanhaugh
Where to find this church
Church Information
St Swithins church is located in the small village of Ashmanhaugh, a mile west to the A1151 Wroxham to Stalham road.
This church is usually open to visitors
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Visiting Ashmanhaugh St Swithins Church
The church is dedicated to St Swithin, a rare dedication today, but popular in the 10th century when probably the first church in Ashmanhaugh was built. You can read more about him by clicking on this link.
It is a small church which has undergone several alterations over the centuries. Most significant is the tower, which fell in the 19th century, and was rebuilt in 1849, shorter than the earlier tower. It is now the tower with the smallest diameter of all Round Tower Churches, only about 6 feet internally at ground level. The church has a narrow nave, probably originally built in Saxon times, but extended westwards in the 12th century, and later the walls were raised and provided with new doorways and windows about 1300. The earlier fabric includes amongst the flints pieces of ferricrete, a rough dark-brown conglomerate stone found on the surface of the land.
Some of the plaster on the north nave wall has been cut back to expose some of the earlier stonework. The font is a modern one, declaring ONE LORD + ONE FAITH + ONE BAPTISM.
Just inside the door is the back of a pew with unusual carved panels. The top row of “jousting” shields (with a notch to accommodate the lance) show the five wounds that Christ suffered on the Cross, two hands, two feet, and a heart. The lower row of normal shields show initials, presumably of the parson and churchwardens, and the date MVCXXXI (1531).
Near the blocked north door are six old bench ends with carved poppy heads and pricket holes (to hold the candles), one bench with arm rests of a winged dragon and a lion. There are more old benches of a different pattern in the chancel.
After the 15th century Reformation use of the piscina and sedilia ceased and now, crammed in between these and the altar is a stone tomb chest. It has a pedimented stone against the east wall, declaring it is for Honor Bacon, with the Bacon shield of three boars. Along the side of the chest are three shields for Themylthorp (three antelope heads with a band of three crescents), Themylthorp impaling Bacon, and Bacon. Honor died in 1591, aged 18 years, before her marriage night. She was supposed to marry Nicholas Themylthorp.
Above is the nice east window showing an angel and the three women finding the tomb empty.
Latest visit: June 2025
Conclusion: an open and welcoming church always worth a visit
