ALL SAINTS' CHURCH
Queen Elizabeth II - 21 April 1926 to 8 September 2022
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Restoration of the de Thorp Tomb, All Saints' Church Ashwellthorpe - 2007
The alabaster tomb bearing the effigies of Sir Edmund de Thorp and his second wife Joan – daughter of Sir Robert de Northwood and widow of Lord Scales – lies within All Saints Church, Ashwellthorpe. Lords of the Manor, the de Thorp family – by children, marriages, kinsmen – passed on this manorial lordship right through to the mid-20th Century.
Sir Edmund was the son of another Sir Edmund de Thorp and his wife Joan nee Baynard. Sir Edmund was killed in 1418 during the siege of the castle in Louvier, Normandy, where he had been one of King Henry V's men and his body was brought back to Ashwellthorpe for burial in his Chapel. He had the Chapel – Thorp Chapel – added to the north of the Chancel in 1393 to become his eventual burial place. This pre-Reformation tomb is one of only two remaining in Norfolk and lies between the Chancel and Thorp Chapel. Originally under a wooden canopy, the white alabaster effigies lie on the alabaster tomb chest; Sir Edmund in full armour with his helm[et] under his head, his wife lying beside him, a pillow under her head supported by Angels. The west end of the tomb chest is now of stone rather than alabaster and over three centuries, graffiti of names and initials have been carved into the alabaster.
Problems with the tomb's foundations had seen it slipping into a void and, without repair work, it could have crumbled and broken up. Restoration in 1967, funded by the Pilgrim Trust, resulted in a thorough cleaning of the tomb and the repainting of the eight heraldic shields around its base. Funds were raised in 2006 and repair to its stability and restoration were completed by Easter 2007.
The Restoration Work carried out on the de Thorp tomb
The void beneath the de Thorp Tomb
The flint, brick and lime mortar supporting piers for the de Thorp Tomb, believed to be the original work of c. 1418
de Thorp Tomb Restoration in progress - end February 2007
New brick with lime mortar supports between original supporting piers. You can see the air holes which have been left between the brick layers - this will allow air to circulate around and within the alabaster tomb when it is reconstructed to prevent damp permeating the alabaster.
de Thorp Tomb repaired
You will see from the images below the completed repairs to the foundations and supporting pillars of the de Thorp tomb. It has been made safe from the risk of sinking into the void beneath, and the possibility of it breaking-up through such subsidence and through damp has now been avoided. The repair work was finished by Easter and the church was ready for the Easter services.
north face of tomb south face of tomb
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