DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6912#0114
68
architectural antiquities.
figures of angels with outspread wings, represented as playing on various musical
instruments.
History.—That this elegant chapel was built upon the site of one much more
ancient, is evident from the style of the tower; the arches of which shew it to have
been erected about the time of King Stephen. This was the building, said by
Parkin* to have been founded by William Turbus, or De Turbe, Bishop of Norwich,
who was consecrated in 1146, and died about 1174. He gave it to the monks of
the priory of Norwich with all its profits; debarring it of the rites of baptism and
marriage, to mark its dependency on St. Margaret's, the mother-church. Upon
some attempts to make it a parochial church, about twenty-five years after its con-
secration, his successor Bishop John de Oxford determined that it should be a chapel
only. John de Grey, who succeeded in the see of Norwich, A. D. 1200, in order
to recover his interest and power in this town, granted to the priory of Norwich
two of his manors, in exchange for their rents and other property here, and at the
same time (viz. A. D. 1204,) appropriated to the priory the church of St. Margaret,
with the chapels of St. Nicholas and St. James, &c. on condition that they should
take care to have the said church and chapels served by their chaplains, to be
removed or admitted (on any just cause) at the will of the Bishop.f
At the general dissolution of the monasteries, the impropriation of this church
being purchased by the corporation of Lynn, the dean and chapter of Norwich
retained the right of presenting to it as a perpetual curacy.^
The original chapel having been found too small for the accommodation of the
inhabitants, it appears to have been taken down and rebuilt upon its present scale
in the latter part of the reign of King Edward III. For the Pope's bull to that
effect is stated by Parkin, p. 595, to have been granted in the mayoralty of
Jeffrey Talb, or Talbooth, who served that office in the years 1371 and 13/9. And
it is recorded that in the latter year Pope Urban VI. sent his bull hither, which was
received with great veneration, to authorize and allow the baptizing of infants and
others in this chapel. If Mr. Parkin, or Mackerell,§ from whom he copies, had
sufficient authority for these assertions, no other evidence of the date of this build-
ing can reasonably be required. But it may be added, in the way of confirmation,
that the gravestone of William de Bittering, covered with a fine brass, was to be
* The continuator of Bloroefield, page 595, fol. edit,
f Parkin, p. 578, and 591. t Ibid. p. 592.
§ History of King's-Lynn, 8vo. 1738.
architectural antiquities.
figures of angels with outspread wings, represented as playing on various musical
instruments.
History.—That this elegant chapel was built upon the site of one much more
ancient, is evident from the style of the tower; the arches of which shew it to have
been erected about the time of King Stephen. This was the building, said by
Parkin* to have been founded by William Turbus, or De Turbe, Bishop of Norwich,
who was consecrated in 1146, and died about 1174. He gave it to the monks of
the priory of Norwich with all its profits; debarring it of the rites of baptism and
marriage, to mark its dependency on St. Margaret's, the mother-church. Upon
some attempts to make it a parochial church, about twenty-five years after its con-
secration, his successor Bishop John de Oxford determined that it should be a chapel
only. John de Grey, who succeeded in the see of Norwich, A. D. 1200, in order
to recover his interest and power in this town, granted to the priory of Norwich
two of his manors, in exchange for their rents and other property here, and at the
same time (viz. A. D. 1204,) appropriated to the priory the church of St. Margaret,
with the chapels of St. Nicholas and St. James, &c. on condition that they should
take care to have the said church and chapels served by their chaplains, to be
removed or admitted (on any just cause) at the will of the Bishop.f
At the general dissolution of the monasteries, the impropriation of this church
being purchased by the corporation of Lynn, the dean and chapter of Norwich
retained the right of presenting to it as a perpetual curacy.^
The original chapel having been found too small for the accommodation of the
inhabitants, it appears to have been taken down and rebuilt upon its present scale
in the latter part of the reign of King Edward III. For the Pope's bull to that
effect is stated by Parkin, p. 595, to have been granted in the mayoralty of
Jeffrey Talb, or Talbooth, who served that office in the years 1371 and 13/9. And
it is recorded that in the latter year Pope Urban VI. sent his bull hither, which was
received with great veneration, to authorize and allow the baptizing of infants and
others in this chapel. If Mr. Parkin, or Mackerell,§ from whom he copies, had
sufficient authority for these assertions, no other evidence of the date of this build-
ing can reasonably be required. But it may be added, in the way of confirmation,
that the gravestone of William de Bittering, covered with a fine brass, was to be
* The continuator of Bloroefield, page 595, fol. edit,
f Parkin, p. 578, and 591. t Ibid. p. 592.
§ History of King's-Lynn, 8vo. 1738.