88: Swaffham Church
There are many legends from the past of people who stumbled as if by magic upon fantastic riches. Few of these stories have much basis in fact – but in the case of the Pedlar of Swaffham we have a real man who helped build one of the finest churches in East Anglia.
History – or myth?
St Peter and St Paul Church in Swaffham.
We’re not sure when the church was founded. As the manor of Swaffham was already an important settlement held by Harold Godwinson (later the illfated King Harold who came a cropper at Hastings) during Saxon times it is likely some place of worship was necessary. If so, it left little trace of its existence. Swaffham grew in importance as a crossroads on the routes from east to west and north to south through Norfolk. The current church was first mentioned in official records during the reign of Henry II when a rector was appointed during the mid 12th century. Richard de Wichford was the first recorded vicar, being appointed to the job in 1299. The church’s income was estimated at £80 per year in 1280, about as much as the whole manor of Swaffham was valued at, so it was clearly a substantial living. Quite what this 13th and 14th century church looked like we don’t know but when the roof caved in – literally – it had to be rebuilt at vast expense. The current Church of St Peter and St Paul was begun in 1454, and it took nearly half a century to complete, and the tower was added only in 1510. Set at an angle from the town’s bustling market place, but hidden from the road, it was built in the traditional perpendicular style. At 51ft (15m) wide and about 51ft in height from the nave, the proportions of the church give it a roomy feel, and this extended height allows plenty of light in. Rated as one of the outstanding late medieval churches in this region, it is today visited by people from all over the world.
What about this pedlar?
The story goes that a Swaffham
pedlar called John Chapman had
a dream. If he went to London
Bridge he would come across a
man who would make his
fortune. Encouraged by this vivid
vision, Chapman travelled down
to London accompanied by his
dog. On the bridge, at that time
covered in shops and people’s
houses, he told a shopkeeper
about his dream. The Londoner
laughingly replied: “If I took any
notice of dreams I would be as
big a fool as you. Why, I dreamt that in
Norfolk at a place called Swaffham lived
a pedlar named Chapman. In his garden
was a tree, and buried under it a pot of
gold.” Without another word quick-witted
Chapman hot-footed it back home – and
sure enough dug up a brass pot full of
gold coins under his apple tree. As a
bonus the pot carried a Latin inscription,
reading “underneath this pot is one
which is twice as good”. After it was
translated for him by a passing monk
Chapman dug this up too. Now a
wealthy man, he made a splash in his
home town. Whatever the truth of the
legend, versions of which are told in
other towns, a John Chapman definitely
existed, and was a successful Swaffham
businessman during the mid 15th
century. From 1435 to 1474, John
Botewright was rector of Swaffham, and
compiled the Swaffham Black Book.
This was an invaluable record of
all the work done on the
rebuilding of the church. From
the entries it can be seen that
churchwarden John Chapman
paid for the
rebuilding of the
north aisle, where
his family pews
were, along with
other generous gifts. His help must have
been very welcome; for a small market
town, having to bear the cost of
rebuilding such a large church must
have been a daunting prospect, and
would have had to be borne
locally or not at all.
Chapman is remembered
by carved effigies of him
on two front pews
depicting him with his
pack on his back along
with his dog, and another
of a woman looking over the
door of a shop. The pedlar
had made his fortune
quite spectacularly.
Any disasters to record?
Apart from the original building’s collapse in the 15th century, the church has escaped the usual natural disasters of fire and storms. Like most churches in East Anglia, however, St Peter and Paul did not escape the attentions of Puritan image-breakers during the Civil War. During roof restoration in the late 19th century many small bullets were found embedded in some of the 88 carved angels that decorate the ceiling as part of the hammerbeam roof. Apparently these had been fired by some of Oliver Cromwell’s men as they tried to destroy what they saw as idolatrous papist symbols. The plateglass windows we see today are 19th century creations; no doubt the Puritans destroyed the originals. Another reminder of Cromwell is the memorial in the Lady Chapel to his maternal grandmother, Catherine Steward, who came from Swaffham and died in 1590.
Any works of art?
Among the church’s treasured items is a
rare Book of Hours. This guide to the
daily medieval set times of prayer –
Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext,
None, Vespers and Compline – was
created in about 1420. Magnificently
illustrated by hand, with initial letters
embellished in beaten gold, it is so
valuable it has to be kept in a bank
strongroom, but a display of
photographs is always on show at the
church. Sixteenth century Swaffham
resident Sir Henry Spelman donated his
family library to the church; this
collection of 400 volumes includes a
copy of the historical Holinshed’s
Chronicles, a rare bible in ancient Syrian
(Aramaic) and the Works of James I. It
is currently part of the Norwich
Cathedral Library Collection.
The church is open to visitors. Among
the most poignant sights is the
memorial to the men of this small town
who died in the two world wars.
