Excursions 1997. Report and Notes on Some Findings. 19
EXCURSIONS1997 Reportand noteson somefindings 19 April. Philip Aitkens Ixworth, Garboldishamand North Lopham The towers of these three churches are believed to have been built by the 15th-century workshopof master masons,Aldrichof North Lopham, Norfolk. Acontract wasdrawn up in 1486between the churchwardens of Helmingham and Thomas Aldrich of North Lopham to construct their tower; today, it has a fine inscription at the base. North Lopham tower is believed,from evidencein wills,to have been commencedin 1479;an inscriptionby the same hand as that at Helminghamappears at mid-heighton the north side,but at the base isa band ofstone devices,flushwork-filled.Inscriptionsdated c.1480-1500are alsofound, for example, at Brockley(on the tower),Botesdale(over the north door) and Garboldisham(north porch), all by the same hand. Similardevicesin flushworkare to be found on many other churches c. 1460-80,especiallyat the basesof towers:those at Ixworth, BadwellAshand Elmswellform a notable group. SeealsoGarboldisham,Northwold,Fincham,NewBuckenham,Kenninghall and Mendlesharn. Other architectural features closelymatch, clear evidence of a common designer. These are mostlydatable by willsto c.1460-80. It is believedthat a new generation at the Aldrich workshop commences c. 1486, favouring inscriptions instead of flushwork devices. Acontract wasmade withThomas Aldrichto rebuild the east wallofThetford Priory, 1505-07. lxworth, St Mary'sChurch. The annual general meeting washeld here by kind permissionof the Revd P. Oliver. The tower was begun c. 1472, as evidenced by the 'Thomas Vyal' tile, commemorating the bequest of six marks by a prosperous localcarpenter in Decemberthat year,for workon the new`stepyr,and twotilesinscribedwiththe name ofWilliamDensy,Prior of the Augustinianhouse at Ixworth, 1467-84,one of them alsodated 1472.
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