Houghton on the Hill, Norfolk

Houghton on the Hill

Saint Mary's Parish Church, Houghton on the Hill
Houghton on the Hill
Houghton on the Hill shown within Norfolk
Population 0 
OS grid reference TF868053
Civil parish
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town SWAFFHAM
Police Norfolk
Fire Norfolk
Ambulance East of England
EU Parliament East of England
UK Parliament

Houghton on the Hill is a deserted medieval village in the Breckland district of mid-Norfolk, East Anglia, England in the United Kingdom. The only surviving buildings are a farm and St Mary's church which was recently rescued after being left in a ruinous state. During the restoration some very old wall paintings dating from about the time of the Norman Conquest were discovered; these are the earliest known large system wall paintings in the country.[1] The restoration was driven by the tireless efforts of one man - Bob Davey MBE.[2] The church is now maintained by a charitable trust 'The Friends of St Mary's', who also provide public access and guided tours (see external link for details).

History

There is evidence of habitation in this area going back to prehistoric times, with flint tools and a Bronze Age spearhead being found in local fields. The village was located close to the Peddars Way Roman road, and a large villa and, possibly, a temple were located nearby.[3]

The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book, being owned by Reynold, son of Ivo. A man called Herlwin held land in Houghton from Reynold. The present nave of the church was built at this time, and the paintings inside date from this period.

Francis White's History, Gazetteer and Directory of Norfolk, 1854, states that the parish consisted of 10 houses, with 50 residents and 600 acres of land.[4] During World War I the church was damaged when a Zeppelin dropped a bomb into the churchyard.[5] The last derelict cottages were demolished in the 1990s.

St Mary's Church wall paintings

Extensive polychrome wall paintings were noticed during restoration in 1996, and it soon became evident that they were of major significance. Romanesque wall paintings are very rare, and certain aspects of the iconography, particularly the quatrefoil cross on God’s knee on the east wall, have given rise to a date of around 1090, or late 11th century.[6]

The best-preserved scheme is on the east wall, which depicts the Last Judgment. Over the arch of the chancel we see the Trinity, comprising Father, Son and Holy Spirit, set within a triple mandorla. Beneath and to the left are the souls of the saved, and to the right, probably the souls of the damned (one seemingly wearing a crown).

Further down and to the left are a well-preserved set of figures holding scrolls, which might be construed as apostles or saints, and to the right a badly-damaged matching group of figures that some have interpreted as demons, but which may represent the remaining six apostles, making twelve in all. Beneath and to the left is a scene depicting the Raising of the Dead.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.tcassociates.co.uk/houghton.htm
  2. ↑ http://www.houghtonstmarys.co.uk/page5.html
  3. ↑ http://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?mnf4625
  4. ↑ Norfolk - Houghton-on-the-Hill
  5. ↑ St Mary, Houghton on the Hill
  6. ↑ http://www.houghtonstmarys.co.uk/page2.html

Further reading

  • Curteis, Tobit (November 2006), St Mary's Church Houghton-on-the-Hill, Norfolk: Conservation of the wall paintings (PDF), Tobit Curteis Associates, retrieved 21 February 2018
  • Official Friends of St Mary's Website.
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