All Saints Church 

1.) Transcribed from a report by Edward D. Stone, Rector 1923-25

At the Christian era East Anglia was peopled by the Iceni, a very war-like race of Britons. In those days, Horsey was an island, situated at the mouth of a great bay which extended inland almost as far as Norwich. The religious life of each British village centred around it's Sacred Settlement Stone and later on, after Christianity had come to Britain, when a village was converted to the Faith, the event was marked by the mortising of the base of a wooden cross into the venerated stone. In Christian times every village had it's Churchyard Cross - usually before it had it's Church, and it is probable that in the stone which lies near the Churchyard gate, we have a link with early Church history in Horsey. A few other links with ancient times have been found in this Parish - a coin of the Emperor Vispasion, who reigned AD 70; also a small urn, possibly Roman, but probably Anglo Saxon, were discovered when Horsey Hall was rebuilt in 1845. Also, two Querns for grinding corn, were found nearby in the village. 

The Roman conquest of Britain began in AD 43. It is not known when the Christian faith first reached East Anglia, but in the year 176 there was fierce persecution in Gaul, and many Christians were driven from that land, to settle in Britain. Long before AD 400, Christianity was the religion of the great majority of the people, and the British Church had an efficient dioceson organisation with it's Bishops, Monastries and Clergy.  Then came the dark and terrible times of the Anglo Saxon invasions, when the unhappy Britons who survived were utterly impoverished and enslaved, and Church life was crushed out. But in 630 Sigebert, an earnest Christian, became King of East Anglia, and St. Felix of Bergundy was consecrated first Bishop of the East Anglian Diocese, but further dark and tragic times were to come, and from 793 to 1016 Church life was again extinguished in the years of the Danish invasions. In the latter years however, Canute the Dane became King of England, and shortly afterwards became a Christian. Persecution therefore ceased, and the Faith spread rapidly.

By far the larger number of Anglo Saxon Churches were constructed of wood or wattles, and if there was a Church in Horsey in those days, all traces of it have persihed. The oldest part of the existing structure is the lower part of the tower, which archaelogists say was built in the Norman period, i.e. before 1150. They tell us that the Nave and Chancel were built about 1260 and it was probably at the same time that the Archway between the Tower and the Nave was heightened. The font appears to be of about the same date, and is certainly not many years later.

PETER BARDULPH in 1212 stated that he was Rector of the parish, and that he had been presented by GODWIN de HORSEY, whose son and heir Adam has appropriated the living, about 1212, to the Canon of Hickling. There was evidently some flaw in the transaction, for in 1219 or 1220 we find THOMAS BARDOLF giving the allowance to the Prior and Convent of Hickling - the same people under another name. Thereafter Horsey was served by a Vicar presented by the Prior and Convent, the Vicar having the lesser tithes only, while the Priory had the greater tithes and also the Rectory house. In 1535 as the Valor Ecclesiastions proves, the Vicars income after deduction of ecclesiastical and civil taxes, amounted only to 55s. 2 1/4d.  Even if money at that time was worth twenty times its present value, as some writers think it might have been, the Vicar of Horsey was a poor man financially.

In the 15th century, Horsey Church had five Gilds, dedicated respectively to ALL SAINTS - ST. MARY - ST. ANN - and ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST. It is not definitely known to whom the fifth Gild was dedicated, but it was probably ST. ERASMUS. The Gilds joined all classes together, primarily to provide a Chaplain to say Masses for the welfare of the departed, but also to care for the needy, and for objects of common welfare. The forms and practice of religion were the mainspring of their existence, and the activities of the Parish Gilds centred around the parish Church.

It was a sad day for England when, in 1547, the classes holding political power ruthlessly suppressed the Gilds, and robbed and despoiled them of their entire endowments and funds. During the 15th century, while the Gilds were still in being, there was erected in Horsey Church the beautiful Rood Screen, which originally had it's Rood Loft, to which the steps in the North wall of the Church led; the tower was heightened by the addition of the octagonal top, and the porch was built.

In 1536 the Priory of Hickling was dissolved and its possessions were given to the Bishop of Norwich, but in 1542 Bishop RUGG alienated them to William WOODHOUSE - Gent - afterwards Sir William WOODHOUSE. His son and heir, Sir Henry WOODHOUSE, owing to his extravagance, got into financial difficulties and had to sell much of his property to pay his debts, and in 1589 the Rectory and Advowson of Horsey were in the hands of Edmund CLERE, Esq: but about 1596 they passed by sale to Sir William PASTON,KUT who, in 1609, conveyed them to the Trustees of the Free Grammar School at North Walsham, which he had founded. Sir William PASTON also purchased the Manor which had been successively, and by descent - sometimes through the female line - the property of the Ingham STAPELTON and CALTHORPE families. The small manor to which the Advowson had originally been attached had been seized by Elizabeth, widow of Sir Oliver de INGHAM, when Thomas de HORSEY was hanged in 1286. Though Isobel, widow of Thomas de HORSEY had law on her side, and gained the favour of a jury in her favour, the Lady Elizabeth de INGHAM remained in possession. One can only hope that she gave poor Isobel some pecuniary compensation.

Edmund WHISTED, the last Vicar presented by Hickling Priory, was still incumbent in 1535. After his time, the Parish was served by parochial Chaplains or Curates until 1609, when a Vicar was again instituted. It isn't known by whom the Church was served between the years of 1638 and 1681. The Parish was worked by the Curates from 1681 to 1776, when William IVORY was instituted Vicar. There has been no break in the succession of incumbents since then, but their work was delegated to Curates in the years 1785 to 1793 and 1802 to 1853. The living became a Recory again in 1921, when Lady LUCAS, the then Lord of the manor, gave the Advowson to the Bishop of Norwich, and her rectorial rights to the incumbent of Horsey.

A few items of interest may be briefly noted: 

• The Church from ancient times, has been dedicated to ALL SAINTS.     
• The Registers commence in the year 1559.  
• The bell was cast in 1597 by john BRENT,Senior.  
• There is an interesting Chalice, bearing the inscription: "FOR THE TOWNE OF HORSIE IN THE COUNTY OF NORFOLK, ANO: DOM: 1666 H P & W M"  
• The Tower roof is covered with lead embossed: "LM 1721"  

Between the years 1854 and 1866, the Church was restored, mainly at the expense of the RISING family. The old stone work of the East Window, and of the windows in the Nave and the lower part of the Tower, was replaced by new, as also were the doors. New Altar Rails, Choir Stalls, Pulpit and Reading Desk were provided, and six additional Pews were placed at the West end of the Church. 

  2).  Transcribed from a undated report/guide (circa 1970's?) signed "W.J.G"