All Saints, Wreningham, is a Grade II listed medieval parish church in a quiet South Norfolk village about three miles south of Wymondham. Its 13th‑century tower base, 14th‑century chancel and 15th‑century nave make it one of the older buildings in the Upper Tas Valley, and it is still in regular use as part of the Diocese of Norwich. The church sits just off the B1113 Norwich to New Buckenham road and is normally unlocked between 9 am and 4 pm every day, so it is an easy, free and welcoming half‑hour stop on a weekend drive through the lanes.
Visiting All Saints Church, Wreningham
At a glance, here is the practical information most visitors want before setting off.
- Address: All Saints Church, Church Road, Wreningham, Norwich NR16 1BH
- Opening hours: Normally unlocked daily, approximately 9 am – 4 pm (daylight hours)
- Admission: Free; donations welcome
- Sunday services: Book of Common Prayer Holy Communion at 9.30 am on the fourth Sunday of each month, plus other services rotated across the Upper Tas Valley Benefice – check the porch notice board or A Church Near You
- Parking: A small lay-by alongside Church Road; please park considerately for neighbours
- Accessibility: Level access through the porch; gravel paths in the churchyard
- Dogs: Well‑behaved dogs welcome in the churchyard on a lead
- Nearest village pub: The Bird in Hand on the B1113, a few minutes’ walk away
Wreningham is part of the Upper Tas Valley Benefice (Diocese of Norwich, Deanery of Humbleyard) along with seven other parish churches including Ashwellthorpe All Saints, Tacolneston All Saints and the three Forncett churches. The interim Priest-in-Charge is the Reverend Dawn Davidson, based at Saxlingham Nethergate.
A short history of the church
The oldest fabric at All Saints is the base of the west tower, which dates from the 13th century. The chancel followed in the 14th century, and the nave was rebuilt in the 15th century with its octagonal font added at the same time. The first recorded rector was Richard Cokethorpe in 1306, followed by Richard Sekhesteyn in 1330.
In 1406 the small neighbouring parish of Nelonde St Peter was united with Wreningham St Mary, and by 1540 the redundant Nelonde St Peter church had been demolished. In 1508 the parish began raising funds for new bells, and by 1552 the tower held four. The brickwork in the chancel was completed in 1740.
The defining moment in the church’s modern history came in 1852, when the upper part of the tower collapsed. The lower 13th‑century section survived largely intact, and the upper tower, nave and chancel were restored shortly afterwards. A north transept was added at the same time, reusing the original windows from the north wall of the nave for the transept’s east and west openings. The porch was rebuilt and enlarged. In 1887 two south‑facing nave windows were installed to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. The two clock faces on the west and south sides of the tower were added in December 1999 as the village’s Millennium project.
In 2012 the tower window was repaired and a stained-glass roundel was inserted to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. At the same time the north transept east window was restored, with etched memorials added: one commemorating Dennis Long, churchwarden and organist for more than 50 years, and the other recording the parish’s long-standing link with All Saints Mission in Chivu Province, Zimbabwe, founded by a member of the Upcher family.
Things to see inside All Saints, Wreningham
The porch and oak door
The porch was rebuilt after the fall of the tower in 1852. The interior walls are whitewashed, except for the top of a long brick bench seat. The arched main door is solid oak with a large iron handle and latch – plain, dignified and original to the restoration.
The 15th‑century octagonal font
The font is a 15th‑century stone construction with a deliberately simple design. It has eight sides and a circular baptismal bowl. Following Anglican practice, blessed water must only be returned to consecrated ground, so a plug at the bottom of the bowl drains directly into the soil beneath the font. The wooden cover, fitted with an iron handle, was added later.
The organ
The current organ stands in the north transept. It was bought from the Brocklebank Institute Chapel and installed in 1956 by Storr of Costessey, replacing an earlier instrument that originally came from Tacolneston and was subsequently moved on to Lincoln Cathedral. Messrs Boggis of Diss overhauled the Wreningham organ in 1975, building a new swell pedal board at the same time.
The bells
Four bells hang in the tower. They were first recast in the early 1700s and have been the subject of restoration projects across five centuries. The third bell was originally cast by Brazyer at the Norwich Foundry in the 15th century, inscribed QUAESUMUS ANDREA FAMULORUM SUSCIPE VOTA (“We pray thee, Andrew, receive the vows of thy servants”). It was recast in 1878 by John Warner and Son of London. Approximate weights:
- Treble: 2 cwt 3 qtr 13 lb
- Second: 3 cwt 3 qtr 12 lb
- Third: 5 cwt 0 qtr 17 lb
- Tenor: 6 cwt 3 qtr 24 lb (the heaviest)
The bells were last restored and rededicated in 1981. Each bell is dedicated to the memory of a late parishioner, and although they are no longer rung in changes, they can still be chimed.
The east window and the Upcher memorials
The east window is a richly coloured Victorian piece depicting Palm Sunday, with Christ entering Jerusalem on a donkey. The inscription reads: “To the glory of God in the memory of Rev. Arthur Wilson Upcher, 43 years Rector of Wreningham & Ashwellthorpe, at rest June 11th 1896.” A second Upcher memorial – a leaded Tudor‑style window in the north transept – remembers Reverend Upcher’s son Somerville Hay Upcher, who died on 1 March 1868.
The Fardell memorial
A memorial in the nave remembers the Reverend Canon E.S. Fardell and his wife Isobel Elsie Fardell. Canon Fardell succeeded the Reverend A.W. Upcher as Rector of Wreningham in 1896 and held the living for 58 years. He also founded Wreningham village school.
The Goddard memorial
An older monument is dedicated to “John, the son of John Goddard, Rector of this Parish, and Elizabeth his wife, born 2nd April and died 7th May 1739.” John was the first of four children born to the Goddards; all four died in infancy – a sobering reminder of 18th‑century Norfolk childhood.
Pulpit, altar rails and Bishop’s chair
The Victorian pulpit incorporates earlier Jacobean carvings rescued from the previous fitting. The wooden altar rails span the chancel; a central section can be removed for everyday use and replaced for Holy Communion. Behind them, a single step rises to the altar. The Bishop’s chair is wooden with a golden velvet cushion.
Lectern, altar frontal and poker-work texts
A wooden lectern was presented in 1889 as a gift from the Reverend A.W. Upcher; it carries a quilted ivy‑motif embroidery covering the Bible rest. The altar frontal is a seven‑panel quilted embroidery worked by local women in 1984. Three panels are pictorial: grapes hanging over bulrushes in the centre, lilies on the left (a symbol of purity) and ivy with holly on the right. Mrs Elizabeth Brook and friends made both the frontal and the lectern cover. Either side of the altar hang two poker-work texts – lettering scorched into wood with a red-hot poker – reading “Surely the Lord is in this place” and “This is none other than the house of God”, given by Miss Hopkins.
Above the west window outside, a small brick niche contains a weathered stone griffin, although it is likely a later addition and not original to the medieval tower.
How to find All Saints Church, Wreningham
The church is on Church Road in the centre of Wreningham village, a short distance east of the B1113 Norwich–New Buckenham road. By road it is roughly three miles south of Wymondham, a few minutes from Mulbarton, and around 20 minutes from the centre of Norwich. The nearest railway station is Wymondham, on the Norwich–Cambridge line.
Combine a visit with a stroll through the lanes around Wreningham, lunch at the Bird in Hand, or a longer day out at Wymondham Abbey. For more ideas in the area see our guide to places to visit in Wreningham and our wider Norfolk days‑out directory.
Frequently asked questions
How old is All Saints Church, Wreningham?
The base of the tower is 13th‑century, making it more than 800 years old. The chancel was added in the 14th century and the nave in the 15th, with major rebuilding of the upper tower and porch after the tower collapse of 1852.
Is the church open to visitors?
Yes. All Saints is normally unlocked every day between about 9 am and 4 pm. Entry is free and the church is happy to welcome visitors outside service times. Donations towards the upkeep of the building are gratefully received in the box by the door.
When are services held at Wreningham All Saints?
The regular Wreningham service is a Book of Common Prayer Holy Communion at 9.30 am on the fourth Sunday of each month. Other services rotate around the eight churches of the Upper Tas Valley Benefice; the most up‑to‑date schedule is on the porch notice board, in the benefice magazine, and on the A Church Near You entry for the parish.
Is All Saints Church a listed building?
Yes. The Church of All Saints, Wreningham, is a Grade II listed building on the National Heritage List for England, in recognition of its medieval fabric and significant 19th‑century restoration.
Where can I park?
There is no dedicated church car park, but a short lay‑by alongside Church Road can take a small number of cars. Please be considerate of village residents and avoid blocking driveways or the lane.
Who looks after the church?
Day‑to‑day care of the church is shared between the churchwardens, the Parochial Church Council and a team of volunteers who clean the building, arrange flowers and maintain the churchyard. The interim Priest-in-Charge is the Reverend Dawn Davidson.