All Saints Church

The walls are almost entirely of unknapped and squared flints in the porch and some brick buttresses and arches.



The Tower is 15th century perpendicular with a stair case projection on the North side and drip moulding over the bell openings and the windows below. The top of the Tower is battlemented.


The Nave dates originally from the 15th century and was re-roofed about 60 years ago thanks largely to Rev Francis Knowles who was rector for some 40 years.


There was a rector, Jocelyn de Lund here in 1186, the prior of Lewes then being the patron. Lewes was the first Cluniac Priory in England and was founded in 1077 by William de Warrenne, then Lord of The Manor of Gimingham. At the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the right of presentation passed to the King who granted it to Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. In 1547 it reverted to the crown and is still a royal advowson through the Duchy of Lancaster.


Since 1965 Gimingham has been in the Trunch Group of Parishes and is served by a team of clergy.

The Chancel
A good example of early- 14th century work- the 'decorated period'. There are some old bench ends. Contrasts the tower, nave and porch which are all the 15th century the 'perpendicular period'.

There may have been an earlier church on the site as the quions (external corners) of the East wall of the Chancel have long and short work in ashlar, a typical Saxon method of constuction.
Though instead of a survival it may be a copy of an older church.
The chancel was once longer as can be seen from the traces of foundations beyond the East wall.


The Porch
This has 2 storeys and seems to incorporate parts of an earlier porch, with windows of the decorated period. The upper room, or PARVISE has a three-light window with a quatrefoil frieze below. Probably there was once a central niche with a statue. There is an holy water stoup of the same date of the extension of the porch near the south door. It is thought that Parvise rooms may have been used in the past by Priests who came a long way to take services in the church. Another suggestion is that wedding guests waited there while the couple exchanged vows in the porch. They then followed them down the aisle for the Nuptual Mass.

Gimingham Church has 5 Bells and has a Sunday ringing service at 9.30am. Practice night is Monday at 7.30pm. These bells are in excellent condition. Tenor 8-1-25AB