St Andrew's, South Runcton, Norfolk

South Runcton was recorded in Domesday Book and there may well have been an Anglo-Saxon church on the site before a Norman building.

A sketch by Norwich artist John Sell Cotman shows the ruined church in 1812, its striking billet and chevron chancel arch partially buried under vegetation, and its apse roofless and open to the elements.

Norwich architect John Brown rebuilt St Andrew’s in a Neo-Norman style in 1839, but the jury is out on how much of the Norman ruin he incorporated into his richly detailed and dignified redesign. Some think he renewed the lot; others think he recut the  chevron and billet decoration; some think he retained the bottom section of the arch. 

Arch and apse aside, the west front has giant corner pilasters, bold chevron zig-zagging around the arches, a  super-arch and some blind arcading. The surface decoration in the blind arches is copied from Norwich Cathedral, where architect, Brown, was the Surveyor.  The south elevation has more arcading, billet-moulding and a corbel table of stylised heads. 

The northside is remarkable for its relative plainness. No arcading here. Just a stray carved head or two. And an apsidal vestry with a conical roof that was tacked on in 1858. The vestry carries a date plaque with the cross of St Andrew. 

 St Andrew’s is a church that rewards patient, careful looking. Notice the bell-cote crowning the gable: it’s a mini triple arch structure that replicates the triple arch detail found along the south elevation. 

We adopted St Andrew’s in the spring of 2023 and are currently carrying out essential repairs to this elegant and enigmatic building.