Monument record SEP 008 - St Peter's Church

St Peter's Church. Consisting of chancel, nave, S porch, W tower. Norman S doorway; nave and tower from circa 1375. Chancel mainly rebuilt (no dates), N chancel held chapel dedicated to Our Lady (S1).

The fabric of the north walls of the nave and chancel is a notable survival in good condition which displays highly significant elements of the early history of the church. I recommend that, where this is consistent with the structural integrity of the fabric, there should be a presumption against physical damage and negative impact on the exposed medieval wall surfaces and vestigial remains surface treatment: I advise that in my opinion re-rendering of the wall face should be avoided if at possible but that localised re-pointing should be employed to consolidate any unstable fabric. Any alteration or addition to the fabric should be preceded by appropriate archaeological recoding.
The tomb panels on the interior north wall of the chancel should be exposed by the temporary removal of the stall and organ in order that they may be better assessed There may be a need for paint conservation. Consideration should be given to making the tomb remains permanently visible in order that the chancel and its external features may be better understood
A documentary study of the church would have the potential to shed light on the origins and demise of the chantry chapel (S2).

Documentary research identified the chapel dedicated to St Mary formerly attached to this church was probably demolished in the period 1834-35 an examination of the surviving churchwardens accounts held at the Suffolk Record Office in Lowestoft will confirm the date of demolition and possibly offer further details. The chapel was the burial place of both John Tasburgh in 1473 and his wife Margery in 1485. It has been suggested that their grave was in the form of a table monument and that the surviving remnants of a carved stone box tomb are part of this monument. The remnant of a slab that may have formerly covered this tomb. Is recorded and depicted in David Davy's notes of 1830. William Blois believed that the Tasburghs had built the chapel. From an examination of the catalogue of the Adair Collection, the earliest references to John Tasburgh in connection with South Elmham St Peter's are in May 1432. From 1445, John Tasburgh 'late of Norwich' is mentioned in connection with St Peter's Hall. The previous tenants were the Tolle family. John Tolle lived at the hall until his death in February 1445. His will in the Adair Collection at Lowestoft is a unique document and no additional copies are to be found amongst the records of the various church courts. The earlier antiquarians would not have had the opportunity to examine this document and it may contain additional references to the church. The excellent manorial records for the manor of South Elmham are held as part of the Adair Collection at Lowestoft and though all the manorial records of this period are written in Latin, they do represent a potential source for further references to the chapel (S3).