St. Mary's Church
Welcome to St. Mary's Church, North Tuddenham
Welcome. For service details and other events happening here, please see pages elsewhere on the website.
Recently restored, this Grade 1 listed building, recognised as a ‘Treasure’ by the Church of England, is open again to visitors.
With its massive nave, high well-preserved roof and uniquely tiled walls, beautiful east window, recently restored tower window containing medieval glass (from 8th July), rood screens depicting martyrs and saints, and Victorian windpipe organ, this church has plenty of features to marvel at.
Come and see for yourself!
Visits can be organised through the Church Office on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays between 9 am and 1 pm by telephoning 01362 858873.
Alternatively, you can contact the churchwarden, ‘Jools’ Smith, directly, on 01362 850641.
P.S. Please try to give sufficient warning if travelling from afar.
Coach parties welcome by appointment only.
During the Summer weekends the church will be open 10 am - 4 pm Saturdays and Sundays.
St. Mary's now has its own page on the National Churches Trust website at North Tuddenham St Mary the Virgin | National Churches Trust.
Latest News/Feature...
Getting a new Rector - update 9th October 2024
Posted: Thu, 10 Oct, 2024 (2 weeks ago) by Alan
Having sent off the version of the benefice profile approved by the Ministry Team, churchwardens and AWA, we have received back a helpful list of suggested amendments from Catherine, our archdeacon. Alan Cossey, as the main link, also had a phone chat with her.
The ministry team have amended the benefice profile and the latest version has this morning (Wednesday) been sent off to Catherine for her perusal and, hopefully, passing on to Bishop Jane.
If Jane and Catherine are OK with it, our intention is to have a "Section 11" meeting on Wednesday 23rd October of the PCCs together and formally sign off the profile and to appoint parish reps to take part in the interview process. Parish reps have to be members of the PCCs and it is likely that each parish will have one such rep apart from Mattishall, which will have two reps to represent two of the three congregations there. Parish reps have to be able to truly represent their congregations. Since ASM 9.00 and 10.30 congregations are somewhat different, we are looking for two reps. There will not be a rep for the monthly Oasis congregation at ASM, two reps being the maximum per parish. However, reps, including how many, will be formally decided at that Section 11 meeting.
When the benefice profile has been approved by the joint meeting of the PCCs, we will make it generally available to everyone. We have not made it generally available so far as we are up to version 10 and it might be confusing if various versions were flying around. Please be assured, though, that the PCCs have been diligent in representing their parishes and we have taken into account the things discusses and voted for at the Vision Day in July to which everyone was invited.
A very rough timescale for the continuation of the process is as follows. Please note, though, that it may well vary, particularly if Catherine or Jane need us to make any more changes to the profile.
1) Approval of benefice profile and appointment of parish reps by the end of October.
2) The post of Rector gets advertised. The joint PCCs meeting is where this will be requested (if we decide that is what we want). It will definitely be posted at Vacancies - Diocese of Norwich and we can ask for (and pay for!) it to be posted in the Church Times. There will also be word of mouth...
3) Closing date for applications would be around 6th January 2025.
4) Interview day would be 19th February 2025.
Assuming we get at least one applicant, he/she would be shown around the benefice on that interview day, meeting people at each church (and church office), would meet with the Ministry Team, have lunch and then there would be a formal interview with, probably, Bishop Jane, Archdeacon Catherine and the parish reps.
If that interview concludes positively, an offer would be made, but no-one on the interview panel is allowed to tell anyone that. The reason for this is not to be awkward, but the applicant might not then want the job, a parish rep might object or, if all goes well, the announcement of appointment would need to be done simultaneously in their current benefice (assuming they have one) and here in ours. It would not be right for news to slip out and, say, their benefice to find out from our end that they are losing their incumbent. Note that the appointee will likely have a 3-month notice period to serve out, just like Mark M. did here. Please don't ask the parish reps how things went!
Additional bit...
So, if we find someone who wants to come here, we might be talking about a start around early June. However, if they have children in school they might want them to finish their school year ... and then holiday... so we might be taking about a start of late August or early September. At least we have got some idea of what might happen.
To reach St. Mary's Church, we recommend you have a good look at it on Google Maps! If coming from the Dereham direction, bear left off the A47 at turn off marked "N. Tuddenham". Turn right as soon as you are off the A47 then next right into Fox Lane and follow the road over the top of the A47. After passing North Tuddenham village hall on your left, turn right at the crossroads then immediately left. After a short distance on your left side is a sign marking the entrance to a land leading to St. Mary's. There is a small amount of parking space at the end of the lane on your left, but you may wish to swing round at the end and head back out slightly and park on the left side of the lane.
If coming from the Norwich direction, leave the A47 at the exit marked "N. Tuddenham" then turn left onto Fox Lane. Pick up the instructions from that point from those above.
If coming from the Mattishall direction, head down Burgh Lane from Mattishall and at the end, turn left onto an unnamed road marked towards "North Tuddenham". Follow the road, bearing right. Keep on this road until you head slightly down a hill to cross the river Tud and ascend the other side. The entrance to the lane down to St. Mary's is at the top of the hill on your right.
Click on the link to find a map of the area on Google maps. (Please note that we have no control over the content of external websites).
Click here to open map in new window »
