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== Parish History == | == Parish History == | ||
Overstrand St Martin is a rebuilt church on the site of a former Ancient parish in the Repps deanery of the Diocese of Norwich. Other places in the parish include Beck Hythe.<br> | Overstrand St Martin is a rebuilt church on the site of a former Ancient parish in the Repps deanery of the Diocese of Norwich. Other places in the parish include Beck Hythe.<br> | ||
It is unclear exactly when the first church in Overstrand was built. We know there was no church recorded in 1086 and the first records we have inform us that in Edward I reign, Roger de Eccleburgh was patron of the church dedicated to St.Martin - so that provides a date of 1272 to 1307. As such it could be assumed that the church was built during that period. | |||
We also know that it was one of the first recorded victims of local coastal erosion. Early accounts of Overstrand describe the topography as a parish extending for nearly two miles along the coast, comprising 400 acres of light and sandy soil which rises gradually from the shore and bounded on the south-west by a range of lofty hills. | |||
Its position must have been very close to the shore as it was washed away and "swallowed up by the sea" in the late 14th century. Again we have no precise date for this but do know that it would have been after 1382 (as we have records of the rector Robert Madesone, for that date) and prior to or by 1399. John Reymes provided half an acre of land for a new churchyard before the end of September of 1399 and a licence was granted for the building of a new church probably between October and December of 1399. | |||
The new churchyard was positioned where it is today. We do not know how long it took to build the new church, also dedicated to St.Martin, but we know it was in use by 1432 and William Dolle was rector. | |||
The church building originally consisted of an embattled perpendicular west tower, nave, and chancel with a porch and door on the north side. A small oven for baking wafers was added to the south wall of the tower. The windows bore the arms of the de Reymes, Calthorp, Felbrigg Le Gross and Pelham. | |||
By the latter 18th century, St.Martin's was by all accounts in a state of disrepair and by 1845 was virtually a ruin, having only part of the nave used for service. | |||
A new church was built and consecrated in 1867, and named Christ Church. This was built in the Early English style, of cut flint and stone, and consisted of a chancel, nave and north aisle. | |||
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== Resources == | == Resources == | ||