The church of St Peter & St Paul - chancel

Image: © Evelyn Simak Taken: 1 Mar 2008

The church of St Peter & St Paul stands on an elevation in the village of Carbrooke (its 99 feet/30 metres high tower can be seen for many miles), adjacent to a pasture where the Carbrooke Commandery once stood Image; here the Knights Hospitallers collected alms for pilgrims to Jerusalem and the military duties that arose from their care and shelter. The church houses East Anglia's oldest identifiable coffin slabs, both bearing the cross marks of the Knights Templar, and presumed to mark the graves of Mathilda, the widow of Roger, Earl of Clare, who founded the Commandery in about 1193, and their son James (seen here at bottom of picture). See also > Image The north porch has been blocked; the entrance into the church leads through the ogee-arched south doorway. The hammerbeam roof with figures of angels dates from the 15th century as does the (restored) rood screen. A medieval altar stone with five consecration crosses, one in each corner and one in its centre, forms the altar in the north aisle > Image A memorial commemorating a former rector's daughter (died in 1932) can be seen on the east wall. The church is kept locked. For more information see: http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/carbrooke/carbrooke.htm

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