St Mary
Elsing
Norfolk
Built by Sir Hugh Hastings between 1330 and 1347 replacing an earlier church of which a small fragment of wailing survives in west wall of nave.
Architectural Features
Mutilated life-size brass in chancel to Sir Hugh Hastings with effigy surrounded by figures in architectural canopies.
C14 octagonal font with bell-shaped bowl and blind tracery.
TG0516 : St Mary, Elsing - Font
Contemporary restored font cover with tracery, flying buttresses and crocketted spire.
The church > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/890917 - http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/890930 - http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/890941 dates from the 14th century and was built by Sir Hugh Hastyngs, whose life-sized brass has survived: a replica, as well as the remains of the original > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/890940 - dated to 1347 and executed after the design on the Earl of Pembroke's tomb in Westminster Abbey - can still be seen today. St Mary's has no aisles and the nave roof spans 12 metres, which makes it the widest pillarless nave in East Anglia > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/890928. The communion rails are late C18 or early C19. There are a number of medieval survivals such as the C14 font > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/890943 with a magnificent 15th century cover > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/890949. C14 stained glass can be seen in one of the chancel windows, and there is a medieval rood screen dado with 8 painted panels; the paintings, however, are very faded > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/890931. The church is open every day. For more information see: http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/elsing/elsing.htm
Fragments of C14 glass in chancel.