St George's Church, Shimpling

St George’s Church stands at the end of a short lane south of Shimpling village in Norfolk. Built mainly in the 12th century, the lower tower and nave remain from that period. In the 13th century an octagonal top was added to the tower and the chancel was built. The 15th century brought new windows in the nave and a 1633 date on the chancel roof. A Victorian restoration by E. C. Lee in the late 19th century added a small spire and a new north porch. The church closed in 1987 and is now cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust. The church is constructed of flint with stone dressings and tiled roofs, parts of the exterior rendered. The simple plan includes a nave with a north porch, a chancel and a west tower. The tower’s lower stage is round and the upper stage octagonal, with bell openings on four sides and blank windows between. Inside, the chancel roof tie beam carries the date 1633. Fifteenth-century poppyhead benches stand beside 19th-century replacements. The 15th-century font shows the Four Evangelists and angels with Instruments of the Passion. Visitors find the nave benches, chancel fittings and surviving stained glass from the 13th to 15th centuries. Three original bells remain, two dated 1552 and one recast in 1658. The church’s quiet lane and simple flint walls frame views across the surrounding countryside.