St Andrew's Church, South Runcton

Church of St Andrew, South Runcton
Location	South Runcton, Norfolk, England
Coordinates	52°39′13″N0°24′58″E / 52.6535°N 0.416°E / 52.6535; 0.416
Built	12th century
Rebuilt	1838-39
Architect	John Brown
Governing body	Friends of Friendless Churches
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official name	St Andrew's Church, South Runcton
Designated	8 July 1959
Reference no.	1342289
Location in Norfolk

St Andrew's is a redundant church in the village of South Runcton, Norfolk, England (grid reference TF635089 ). Dating from the 12th century, the church was almost entirely rebuilt between 1838 and 1839 by John Brown, the surveyor of Norwich Cathedral. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches.

History

The Church of St Andrew dates from the early 12th century. ^[1] Almost nothing of this original church now remains. When the artist John Sell Cotman sketched the church in 1812 it was in complete ruin. ^{[a] [3]} In the 1830s, the Norwich Diocesan architect John Brown was engaged to undertake a rebuilding. ^[1] Bill Wilson, writing in his Norfolk 2: North-West and South volume in the Buildings of England series, revised and re-issued in 2002, terms Brown's almost complete reconstruction "pitiless". ^[4] Little beyond a fragment of the chancel arch remains of the original building. ^[1]

In 2023, having been declared redundant by the Church of England and attempts to identify alternative uses for the building having failed, ^[5] St Andrew's was taken into the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches. ^[3] As at 2025, the church remains closed while the FoFC undertakes a major restoration of the building, in consultation with Historic England. ^{[b] [3] [6] [7]}

Architecture and description

St Andrew's consists of a nave with porch, a chancel and a bellcote. The style is Romanesque Revival. The building material is brick, cased in cement render and with a slate roof. ^[1] The interior is plain and whitewashed. ^[8] The church is a Grade II* listed building. ^[1]

Gallery

• 
  Another view
• 
  An example of the "very elementary" ^[4] stained glass
• 
  Interior

Notes

1. John Sell Cotman's sketch was dedicated to the Rev. Robert Forby, vicar of the nearby parish of Fincham. ^[2]
2. Preliminary investigations by the FoFC suggests that more of the original building may have been retained during John Brown's reconstruction that was initially thought. ^[3]

References

1. Historic England, "Church of St Andrew, South Runcton (Grade II*) (1342289)", National Heritage List for England , retrieved 27 July 2025
2. "St. Andrew's Church, South Runcton, Norfolk". National Trust . Retrieved 27 July 2025.
3. "St Andrew's Church, South Runcton". Friends of Friendless Churches . Retrieved 27 July 2025.
4. Pevsner & Wilson 2002, p. 666.
5. Hussain, Sarah (13 November 2019). "Former resident 'utterly disgusted' by neglect of village church". Eastern Daily Press . Retrieved 27 July 2025.
6. Bishop, Chris (27 October 2024). "Abandoned Norfolk church will be restored after charity adopts it". Eastern Daily Press . Retrieved 27 July 2025.
7. Nichols, Molly (31 October 2024). "Repair works to get under way at St Andrew's Church in South Runcton". Lynn News . Retrieved 27 July 2025.
8. "CoE Church Heritage Record: 614291". Church of England . Retrieved 27 July 2025.

Sources

• Pevsner, Nikolaus; Wilson, Bill (2002). Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. Vol. 2. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.