At the top of the tower (Happisburgh Church)

So today (18th October 2014) I visited Happisburgh and as I entered the village I saw a sign telling me that the church tower was open so I thought what a fantastic opportunity. I of course stoppped to take a look an I am so glad I did. I had visited Happisburgh and the church before however I only managed to take a look around the interior and the exterior of the church. 

St Mary's at Happisburgh stands on top of a hill over looking the village and the fast approaching sea as it gradually eats away and erodes the cliff edging nearer and nearer to the church yard year on year.

So I entered the church to find a man sitting behind a small desk at the bottom of the tower taking the small charge for access to the stairs which was £1. A bargain I thought. He showed me the stairs and warned me to call up as I climbed as their radio system has broken down so he was unable to warn the warden up top the I was coming up.

So I stepped through the door way and started to climb the very narrow spiral staircase. I climbed and climbed what felt like a lifetime, and I was beginning to get slightly panicked as I climbed. I normally do not get worried about heights too much but there were small glass windows in the stairwell on the way up and it felt that I had very quickly left the ground and was very high up, it felt very disorienting.

On my way I saw the bells which were very impressive and finally I came to chamber above the bells where the stone spiral staircase stopped and new memorial metal spiral staircase started which took you up to the roof. Finally I broke through and made it to the to where I saw daylight again. Now when I went up the weather was slightly overcast and slightly breezy but the views were absolutely amazing. For a while it took a while to get used to being up there as the roof was slightly slopped which made it feel like I was falling over when walking around up there.

I am so pleased I went up there to take in these breathtaking views which I have included below. I will gradually and eventually post my photos from my original visit to the church.

So I can post these photos as I eventually made it back down the stairs again which again my heart leapt into my throat as they were very steep and several times I felt I was going to fall over.

All Saints Weybourne (Weybourne Priory)

On my travels around Norfolk I came across this site while using the North Norfolk coastal road. The signs on the gates that lead to this church give it the name of God's acre. As I walked through the graveyard I loved the peace and tranquility it provided even though its close proximity to the coastal road.

The church notice board gives the name of this Church as All Saints, Weybourne however this site has been more than just a parish church. A church has been on this site since Saxon times, where evidence of a Saxon cruciform church can be found in the north of the chancel, in the form of a tower. Other features can be found in arcade between the current nave and the north aisle as it occupies the site of the Saxon church.

The priory was formed between the end of the 12th century and the beginning of the 13th century by Sir Ralph Mainwaring as a house of Augustinian canons. The priory was a subordinate to the priory of West Acre. It was dissolved in 1314.

The remains of the priory include large sections of wall such as that of the north wall of the choir, walls of the presbytery. A section of the north transept can be seen, some of the north range is still visable along with walls of the cloisters.

St Margaret's Church, Thorpe Market

So here is St Margaret's church at Thorpe Market which is just over 4 miles south of Cromer on the North Norfolk coast. I had seen this church several times over a period of months and finally got round to visiting. As I approached the building through the church yard I could see that while this church was old it was not from the medieval period which after some reading I found to be accurate.

St Margaret's church dates from the 1700's being built in 1796 on the instruction from the 1st Lord Suffield. It was built under the Gothic revival style and is one of the first buildings of this style of architecture to be built in Norfolk. St Margaret's church although built in 1796 is built on the same site as an older medieval church.

Although I was unable to take a look inside the church during my visit, I plan to visit again soon on a day when the church is open so I can visit inside instead.