The parish church of St Helen’s Bishopgate is unique, being “a church within a church”. The present worship area is the central section of a much larger building (see red outline on map below). When it was built it was one of the largest and grandest church buildings in Norwich. The west end was built as an infirmary, linked through the open nave arch to the church itself. To the east was a large chancel. At the Reformation in C16th both were walled off and converted into ward accommodation.
The internal appearance of St Helen’s is unusual in a number of ways. The radical alterations of the late C16th resulted in an almost square shaped church with a very high roof. Furthermore, there is a central pulpit surrounded by box pews, thought to be C18th. This “non-conformist” arrangement was appropriate for the religious climate of the time. The only altar is now in the chapel to the south of the pulpit.
1.The Porch is the oldest part of the church and is unusually large with three bays.
2.The Small Window When the church was its original size it is thought this allowed a priest to observe services for the benefit of the sick in the infirmary.
3.The stained glass window of St. Helen the Patron Saint of the church, is believed to be an early C20th work and came from a redundant church. This, together with two smaller windows in the side chapel, were donated by a beloved Trustee.
3a.The small panel of the head of St. John the Baptist came from war damaged glass in Norwich Cathedral. This panel was painted by JG Zobel, a Norwich glass stainer and later a resident. To the right is the panel of St. Giles the Patron Saint of the Hospital and was designed by Mr. Michael Wiley.
4.The Bosses in the lierne vaulted roof of the side Chapel are fine examples of such pieces and represent a sculptured hymn of praise to the Virgin Mary. They are probably the work of John Everard who was the chief mason working on the vaulting of the Cathedral at about the time the church was rebuilt. The large central boss shows the Coronation of the Virgin with Christ seated on her left and surrounded by a choir of angels. The inner circle of eight bosses show the Nativity, the Annunciation, the Resurrection and the Ascension interspersed with carvings of St. Edmund, St. Margaret, St. Edward and St. Katherine. The outer circle of bosses shows the twelve Apostles with four groups of leaf motifs (see Roof Bosses).
5.The Chained Bible conforms with the 1602 edition, known as a Bishops’ Bible
6.The Altar was one of at least three altars which were erected when the church was rebuilt towards the end of the C15th and the piscina (a small basin for rinsing altar vessels) confirms that there has always been an altar in this position. The Creed board behind the altar is early Georgian. The silver Sanctuary Lamp hung before the Altar is about 300 years old. It was presented by a former chaplain to the Great Hospital.
7.The large picture behind the pulpit is a copy of “the Transfiguration” by Raphael, the original of which hangs in the Vatican. This was lent to St. Helen’s by Norwich Cathedral in 1949 and has taken this central place ever since.
8.The bench ends on either side of the two front pews are outstanding examples of medieval wood carving. They were made between 1519 and 1532 during the Mastership of John Hecker, the first three letters of whose name are carved on one of the bench ends. The four bench ends show St. Margaret of Antioch (patron saint of women in childbirth), the winged bull of St. Luke, the winged man of St. Matthew ant winged lion of St. Mark.
9.The nave pillars are topped by various shields of medieval Sponsors and are hung with contemporary banners designed by a resident. Each banner bears the name of one of the Great Hospital residences. The Eagle motif copies the symbols painted on the Chancel roof (see Eagle Ward).
10.The Organ was built in 1855 by Mark Noble of Norwich (see Organ).
This information was adapted from notes prepared by the late Mr. Ken Terry and the late Mr. Michael Youngs.
