Round-tower church

Round-tower churches are a type of church found mainly in England, almost solely in East Anglia; of about 185 surviving examples in the country, 124 are in Norfolk, 38 in Suffolk, 6 in Essex, 3 in Sussex and 2 each in Cambridgeshire and Berkshire. There is evidence of about twenty round-tower churches in Germany, of similar design and construction to those in East Anglia. Countries with at least one round-tower church include Andorra, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Poland and South Africa.

The distinctive feature of these churches is, of course, their round towers. The reason for their construction – mostly by the Saxons – is a matter of dispute. Suggested explanations include the following:

*Round-tower churches are found in areas lacking normal building stone, and are therefore built of knapped flint. Corners are difficult to construct in flint, hence the thick, round walls of the towers.
*The churches are found in areas subject to raids from, for example, the Vikings, and were built as defensive structures, churches being added later. In fact, however, the towers are generally too short to have been of much use defensively, and the towers were often added to existing churches, having flat walls where they joined the main structure.
*In 937 King Athelstan (924–939), the first King of all England, decrees that a bell tower be built on the land of every thane; an existing trend of building bell towers on to existing churches was thus accelerated.

Many other (less likely) explanations are offered in communities containing the churches, including appeals to ancient stone circles and the remains of wells.

Round-tower churches should not be confused with similarly shaped structures such as the Celtic round towers found in Ireland and Scotland, or with round churches, which have a circular plan and are often found in Denmark or Sweden.

List of Round Tower Churches in England

Berkshire

*Great Shefford, St Mary
*Welford, St Gregory

Cambridgeshire

*Bartlow, St Mary
*Snailwell, St Peter

Essex

*Bardfield Saling, St Peter and St Paul
*Broomfield, St Mary
*Great Leighs, St Mary the Virgin
*Lamarsh, The Holy Innocents
*South Ockendon, St Nicholas
*Pentlow, St Gregory

Norfolk

*Acle, St Edmund
*Ashmanhaugh, St Swithin
*Aslacton, St Michael
*Aylmerton, St John the Baptist
*Barmer, All Saints
*Bawburgh, St Mary and St Walstan
*Beachamwell, St Mary
*Bedingham, St Andrew
*Beeston, St Lawrence
*Belton, All Saints
*Bessingham, St Andrew
*Bexwell, St Mary
*Bradwell, St Nicholas
*Brampton, St Peter
*Brandiston, St Nicholas
*Breckles, St Margaret
*Brooke, St Peter
*Burgh Castle, St Peter and St Paul
*Burnham Deepdale, St Mary
*Burnham Norton, St Margaret
*Bylaugh, St Mary
*Clippesby, St Peter
*Cockley Cley, All Saints
*Colney, St Andrew
*Cranwich, St Mary
*Croxton, All Saints
*Denton, St Mary
*Dilham, St Nicholas
*East Lexham St Andrew
*East Walton, St Mary
*Eccles St Mary
*Edingthorpe, All Saints
*Feltwell, St Nicholas
*Fishley, St Mary
*Forncett, St Peter
*Framlinham Earl, St Andrew
*Freethorpe, All Saints
*Fritton, St Catherine
*Fritton, St Edmund
*Gayton Thorpe, St Mary
*Geldeston, St Michael
*Gissing, St Mary
*Great Hautbois, St Mary
*Great Ryburgh St Andrew
*Gresham, All Saints
*Haddiscoe, St Mary
*Hales, St Margaret
*Hardley, St Margaret
*Hardwick, St Margaret
*Hassingham, St Mary
*Haveringland, St Peter
*Heckingham, St Gregory
*Hellington, St John the Baptist
*Hemblington, All Saints
*Horsey, All Saints
*Howe, St Mary
*Ingworth, St Lawrence
*Intwood, All Saints
*Keswick, All Saints
*Kilverstone, St Andrew
*Kirby Cane, All Saints
*Leatheringsett, St Andrew
*Little Plumstead, St Protase and St Gervase
*Little Snoring, St Andrew
*Long Stratton, St Mary
*Matlaske, St Peter
*Mautby, St Peter and St Paul
*Merton, St Peter
*Morningthorpe, St John the Baptist
*Morton on the Hill, St Margaret
*Moulton, St Mary
*Needham, St Peter
*Norwich, St Benedict (Tower)
*Norwich, St Etheldreda
*Norwich, St Julian
*Norwich, St Mary at Coslany
*Norton Subcourse, St Mary
*Old Catton, St Margaret
*Poringland All Saints
*Potter Heigham, St Nicholas
*Quidenham, St Andrew
*Raveningham, St Andrews
*Repps-with-Bastwick, St Peter
*Rockland, St Peter
*Rollesby, St George
*Roughton, St Mary
*Roydon, St Remigus
*Runhall, All Saints
*Rushall, St Mary
*Sedgeford, St Mary
*Seething, St Margaret
*Shereford, St Nicholas
*Shimpling, St George
*Sidestrand, St Michael
*South Pickenham All Saints
*Stanford, All Saints
*Stockton, St Michael
*Stody, St Mary
*Surlingham, St Mary
*Sustead, St Peter and St Paul
*Swainsthorpe, St Peter
*Syderstone, St Mary
*Tasburgh, St Mary
*Taverham, St Edmund
*Thorpe Abbotts, All Saints
*Thorpe next Haddiscoe, St Matthias
*Threxton, All Saints
*Thwaite, All Saints
*Titchwell, St Mary
*Topcroft, St Margaret
*Tuttington, St Peter and St Paul
*Wacton, All Saints
*Watton, St Mary
*Weeting, St Mary
*Welborne, All Saints
*West Dereham, St Andrew
*West Lexham, St Nicholas
*West Somerton, St Mary
*Wickmere, St Andrew
*Witton, St Margaret
*Woodton, All Saints
*Worthing, St Margaret
*Wramplingham, St Peter and St Paul
*Yaxham, St Peter

uffolk

*Aldham, St Mary
*Ashby, St Mary
*Barsham, Holy Trinity
*Beyton, All Saints
*Blundeston, St Mary
*Bramfield, St Andrew
*Brome, St Mary
*Bruisyard, St Peter
*Bungay, Holy Trinity
*Frostenden, All Saints
*Gisleham, Holy Trinity
*Gunton, St Peter
*Hasketon, St Andrew
*Hengrave, Church of the Reconciliation
*Herringfleet, St Margaret
*Higham, St Stephen
*Holton, St Peter
*Ilketshall, St Andrew
*Ilketshall, St Margaret
*Little Bradley, All Saints
*Little Saxham, St Nicholas
*Lound, St John the Baptist
*Mettingham, All Saints
*Mutford, St Andrew
*Onehouse, St John the Baptist
*Ramsholt, All Saints
*Rickinghall Inferior, St Mary
*Risby, St Giles
*Rushmere, St Michael
*South Elmham, All Saints
*Spexhall, St Peter
*Stuston, All Saints
*Syleham, St Margaret
*Theberton, St Margaret
*Thorington, St Peter
*Weybread, St Andrew
*Wissett, St Andrew
*Wortham, St Mary

ussex

*Lewes, St Michael
*Piddinghoe, St John
*Southease - St Peter

ources

* [http://www.roundtowers.org.uk/index.html Round Tower Churches Society]
* [http://www.norfolkbroads.com/interest/roundtowers.html Focus on Round Tower] — by John Worrall
*W. J. Goode, "Round Tower Churches of South East England" (Round Tower Churches Society)
*Lyn Stilgoe and Dorothy Shreeve, "The Round Tower Churches of Norfolk", Canterbury Press, Norwich; ISBN 1-85311-448-0

External links

* [http://www.roundtowerchurches.de/ Round tower churches "fan site" in English and German]