Church 4 - St. John the Baptist, Aylmerton

  

Having visited two churches and a Strawberry tea, I had a new mission. One with grave consequences if not fulfilled to the utmost! I needed to by cat food for my moody cat Archie. So a trip from Gresham to the centre of the universe and local commerce - Cromer - was required. On my way having skirted around numerous Anglian Water Workers - working jolly hard by the number of times I subsequently saw them - I routed past a Church on a Hill. St John the Baptist at Aylmerton. 

Turning off to the car park prior to being blocked in by Anglian Water briefly - told you they were busy - I carefully climbed the beautifully viewed incline to this delightfully bright church. This Church has a wonderfully produced leaflet prepared by William Bestelink in 2025, some of the information shared here is from this publication. 

As ever, please note this blog is the combination of my scrawled notes, further research and reflection once home and are my own views and not that of the church. Pictures are my own.  

So I had skirted along the outskirts of Felbrigg Hall Estate towards the coast road and ended up in Aylmerton. It's 2.2 miles off of th North Coast. According to Open Domesday this is the largest of settlements that I visited today (Saturday 18th July 2026) and was in the largest 20% in 1086 with a household count 40.8. According to Hidden Norfolk the area was covered in shallow pits in the field - not prehistoric dwellings but rather places that iron ore was dug and smelted. Alongside tales of ghostly figures there are additional stories of guardians to be heard. A place of great intrigue for a small number of interconnected lanes, it even occurs - apparently - in a J.K. Rowling series Strike. 

And there on the hill is St. John the Baptist. A round tower church watching over the local landscape. The tower itself has gone through a few iterations. Suggested in the leaflet to have been built after the Norman Conquest it has been lifted in height along the way and the top part rebuilt accoring to the church literature in 1912. Others speculate how difficult it is to date a church on when such restoration and rebuilt over time. As ever we stand on the saints who have gone before so the tower has been developed on and on by saints who wish to point the way to God and glorify his name in the local surround. 

The external of the church has been left delightfully to be wild with a wild range of thistles enveloping the land, a bright and vibrant purple and pink in the dusty, biscuit ground after the lack of rain of late. As you walk up and around the hill on which the church sits on, through the spikey foliage you come across the ruins of a transcept on the North side of the church. It shows the weight of the walls that can both hold the joyous found in life and  praise of Christ Emmanuel and the grief of all in life and the sadness of Good Friday. The church information suggestes this transept may have been a chantry chapel. 

There is a hagioscope or squint in the tower, where those who were not able to come to church - for example lepers - could see the service inside. 

Inside the St John the Baptist, amongst the white wash church wall is wonderful stain glass, a rood screen and a magnificent alter. The history is forthcoming with leaflets and folders and wall signs explaining how the roof had been replace in the 1700's. The light of the stain glass at the time I came through as vibrant blue splashed across the tiled floor. You can see the door way to the room above the porch, narrow and iron clad. a Small sidechapel has been created and in its light there is a moment of peace. 

Within the chancel the amazing detailed carving on the Alter given according to the church literature by Marion Ketton - of Felbrigg Hall -  was made locally by Richard Chapman. The chancel has been rebuilt and one can only assume that the Sedlilia (the seat in the side wall of the chancel) and Piscine (basin consecrated for the rinsing of communion vessels and hands) are of the earlier building. They are greatly ornate and detailed even amongst the cut off top. There are exits (or entrances) to both the North and South o fthe chancel although North sides is now blocked and unable to be used. A healthy reminder perhaps that we enter into worship in a church to leave into the world to continue on worshipping our God in glory. 

According to the Quintet Benefice website the interior 'furniture' was from the time of the 1876 restoration. There website (Home to both this and All Saints, Gresham I visited today and a few more on the list to visit) has wonderful resources for worship at home, praying and times of services alongside historical information. 

This church has a war memorial at the entrance of its boundary - up the steps inside the gate. A quiet moment to remember in the parched landscape as I watch the fields beyond, we are but dust and to dust we shall return (Genesis 3:19 paraphrase).  

In case you are wondering Archie the Cat (picture of included) did indeed get food. 

Lord, in the barren and dry land, may You be the well that gives true life. May this church in this community continue to be a well of your love, grace and mercy to the community in this and every time. May those who worship and visit here know deep within their hearts and souls a true outpouring of your Peace and be made holy for your glory and work within this world. Amen

Archie the Cat