Burnham Overy Town, Norfolk

Image: © David Hallam-Jones Taken: 8 Aug 2018

The Grade II-listed church of St Clement’s is situated on a knoll overlooking the River Burn. The village’s name means “over the water”, i.e. across the river from the other Burnham villages. The church has been subject to substantial changes over the centuries. In fact Pevsner described it as "not coherent” because of it being difficult to identify the changes and their sequences. The core of the building is a Norman cruciform church of which only the central crossing tower remains. The nave and chancel, originally of that period, where altered in the C12th and C13th respectively by the addition of southern aisles. The southern porch and nave roof are 15th century whilst much else dates from the extensive restoration of 1835. Unusually for Norfolk the church has a central tower, one of fourteen medieval churches in the county with this layout. The original medieval tower became unstable in the C17th and as a result the upper stage was torn down and extra arches inserted to brace what remained. On top of the shortened tower is a bellcote topped by a gilded weathervane. The belfry holds a single bell that was cast by Richard Brasyer in C16th.

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