Norfolk Coast

I don’t seem to have put anything on this site for a while for all sorts of reasons, but here goes!

I had a trip today up the Norfolk coast.

First stop St. Mary’s, Hemsby

This is a delightful church which is open every day. Inside, it is light and airy and well cared for.

There is a votive stand to light candles, a prayer board to use as well as a simple church guide at only 50p. But the real gem here is the Priest’s room above the south porch. This is set aside for private prayer and is a lovely space with a really prayerful atmosphere – picture below. Well worth a visit.

Next up was –

St. Mary’s, West Somerton

Another lovely church.

This is also open each day. It features some displays on work that has been undertaken here and is a simple country church.

There is also the tomb of Robert Hales, know as The Norfolk Giant – there is info about him in the church. Again, well worth a visit.

Next onto a real gem – All Saints, Horsey

I have been past here lots of times but never called in. What a treat I was missing. This is one of most atmospheric churches I have ever been in. Opening the door is like stepping back in time. There is a display about some restoration work, also the 1953 floods – which focus heavily in this area as it was hereabouts that the North Sea broke through. This church gets lots of visitors (17 in the visitors book this month). Go and have a look, you won’t be disappointed.

Then onto another gem St. John’s Waxham

This is an iconic building on this coast but things are not looking good for it. It is now in very poor repair and there are signs warning people from approaching as masonry is falling off. I don’t think this church is in regular use now – it is hard to see where a congregation would come from as there are only a few houses around here.

Then, lastly, St. Margaret of Antioch, Sea Palling

You really sense the nearness of the sea in this area. The church is down a lane, but signposted from the coast road.

There is a brick floor here – quite unusual – and it is another simple and wonderful church. There are several lifeboat memorials on the wall that record various ‘call outs’ as we might now call them. There is a prayer request book but only 2 visitors in the visitors book this month – it deserves more.