St Peter Mancroft is a parish church in the Church of England in the centre of Norwich, Norfolk. After the two cathedrals, it is the largest church in Norwich. It was originally established by Ralph de Gael, Earl of East Anglia, between 1066 and 1075.[1] It was later rebuilt, between 1430 and 1455.[2] It stands on a slightly elevated position, next to the market place.[3]
The present building was begun in 1430 on the site of an existing church, and consecrated in 1455. It is 180 feet long and ashlar faced with a tower at the west end.[3] It is a Grade I listed building.[4]
There is a 1463 font, a 1573 Flemish tapestry and medieval glass. This ancient glass includes the 1450 Toppes Window, donated by Robert Toppes, a Mercer and mayor of the city,[5] 11 panels of that window survive are in the reconfigured east window, these are the ones showing:
Medieval Stained Glass Window depicting St. Erkenwald and St. William (likely Bishop William of London) in St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich
It is noteworthy that none of the glass is in situ, having been relocated on a number of occasions. These movements include John Dixon’s “improvements” dating from 1847 to 1841; the work undertaken by Clayton and Bell in 1881; and the 1947 reinstallation by Messrs G King and Son, which involved releading and rearranging the tracery lights after the window was removed for the duration of the War.[7] This east window also shows St William (possibly the Norman London bishop, Bishop William) and St Erkenwald.[8]
The North transept displays a collection of church silver, including the Gleane and Thistle cups, as well as memorabilia associated with the physician-philosopher Thomas Browne, author of Religio Medici (1642).[9]George Edmund Street published an exhaustive study of the church in 1879,[10] and in 1896 a small lead-covered spire with flying buttresses was added, designed by his son A. E. Street.[3] In 1850 two L-shaped trenches accommodating a number of acoustic jars were discovered beneath the wooden floor on which the choir stalls had previously stood. The earthenware jars were built into its walls at intervals of about three feet, with the mouths facing into the trenches.[11]
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