Name: Thetford, Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Rating: 5.0

Thetford, Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Brandon Road, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 3PN, UK

1-99 Years

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Description

Thetford, Church of the Holy Sepulchre the only surviving remains in England of a priory of canons of the Holy Sepulchre, who aided pilgrims to Christ’s tomb. The ruined nave of their 14th-or 15th-century church, later used as a barn, survives.

This ruined church was part of a medieval monastery known as the Priory of the Holy Sepulchre, one of only six English houses of this small monastic order. The surviving building is the nave, which dates to the 14th or 15th century.

Free Entry. If you are looking for Best place for day out with kids and families then this is the perfect destination offering fun, adventure, and unforgettable memories for everyone.

Features

Free
Host birthday parties: No

Features

History of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Thetford: This ruined church was part of a medieval monastery known as the Priory of the Holy Sepulchre, one of only six English houses of this small monastic order. The surviving building is the nave, which dates to the 14th or 15th century. The priory was founded in the 12th century by William de Warenne, Earl of Surrey, who had been granted land here by the king.
History of the priory: In the Middle Ages Thetford – which was one of England’s main towns in the 11th and 12th centuries – had about ten monastic houses and hospitals, and more than a dozen parish churches. William (III) de Warenne (c.1119–1148) may well have founded this priory in 1146 when he ‘took the Cross’, promising to go the Holy Land to participate in the Second Crusade. He chose the Canons of the Holy Sepulchre to staff his new priory. They were priest-monks who looked after pilgrims and served at churches in the Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem, including at the tomb of Jesus in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Description of the building: The surviving building, the nave, was the western arm of a cruciform (cross-shaped) church: foundations of this larger church were revealed in archaeological excavations in 1969. Inside the nave, the north-west doorway once led into the monastic cloister. Several blocked windows and the blocked west doorway can also be seen.
From priory to farm: The Priory of the Holy Sepulchre was closed in 1536, as one of the smaller religious houses that were the first to be closed during Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries. The site was sold and became a farm, appropriately known as Canons Farm.
Victorian garden: In the mid-19th century a garden of lawns and rockeries was created for Henry Bartlett, mayor of Thetford and owner of Canons Farm. The ruined monastic church – by this time considered a fashionable landscape feature – was enhanced with the addition of a flint grotto, which was attached to the south-east corner of the nave. The grotto may have been roofed or domed to imitate a cave and was probably covered with ivy, climbing plants or ferns.

Facilities

Parking: There is no car park for the church but it is possible to park on nearby roads.
Food & Drinks: There are no facilities at the church but it is close to the centre of Thetford so there are public toilets, shops and places to eat nearby.
Dogs: Dogs on leads are welcome.

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Price

Price: Free

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Currently closed for essential maintenance work.

Address: Brandon Road, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 3PN, UK

Post Code: IP24 3PN

Council: Breckland

County: Norfolk

Road Access: Located on Brandon Road (A134) on the West side of Thetford.
Bus Access: Coach Services of Thetford 40, 81, 84, 86, 190, 200, 201, 332, T1, T1A, T2, T2A.
Train Access: Thetford 3⁄4 mile.
Bicycle Access: Find this site on The National Cycle Network.
Parking: There is no car park for the church but it is possible to park on nearby roads.