St. Peter Mancroft Church is one of the most prominent churches in Norwich. It is widely known that the city has more medieval churches than any other city in the country, apart from London. Although this one dates from slightly later, having been built in the mid 15th century, it is as impressive as any of the older buildings. Stop by this place of worship to enjoy a moment of peace inside, to attend a Church of England service or simply to admire the beautiful exterior architecture.
Interestingly, the church’s name does not refer to a real saint. It is thought that the “Mancroft” section of the name may have come from Old English or from Latin, but the exact origins have been lost over time.
Although a church has stood in this spot since as early as the 11th century, construction on the current building only started in 1430. Unsurprisingly, given its scale and level of detail, the church took around a quarter of a century to finish. Look for the Gothic features that mark this out as a classic 15th-century building, despite many restorations and renovations over the years.
Step inside the building to see the many striking details of its interior. Look up and notice the impressive wooden beam roof, marked with golden suns. Make sure you take the time to look at the east window, which is made up of an incredible collection of elaborate stained-glass panels. These were created by the Norwich school of glass painters and are among the features of the church that date from the 15th century. Also worth looking out for is the stunning Mancroft tapestry, located close to the window.
St. Peter Mancroft Church is open to the public every day except for Sundays, when it is only open for 30 minutes on either side of services. Find it in the heart of the city, close to other historic attractions such as Norwich Guildhall, Norwich Castle and St. Stephen’s Church.
