NorfolkLUDHAMStCatherine(michaelgarlickCC-BY-SA2.0)2 MichaelGarlick

St Catherine

St Catherine's is at the heart of the pretty village of Ludham, in the Norfolk Broads National Park.

Ludham, Norfolk

Opening times

The church is open all day, every day of the year.

Address

Norwich Road
Ludham
Norfolk
NR29 5QA

It has a fascinating historic connection with the nearby (now ruined) St Benet's Abbey. Two outcomes of this are that the Church Commissioners are responsible for maintaining its chancel and, more important to the villagers, the Abbot is rector of the parish. The Bishop of Norwich, as Abbot of St Benets is therefore Rector of Ludham.

St Catherine's is a large and impressive church, due to the wealth of the nearby Abbey and its location in an area of rich arable and pasture land. It has a slated chancel, lead roofed nave with two aisles and a four square west tower and is built of flint with stone dressings. It has a fine late medieval painted chancel screen and a painted rood in the tympanum which is very unusual and is now thought to date back to Henry VI. The carved 15th century font includes figures of 'woodwoses', a sort of wild men of the woods, but one is a female, the only one in East Anglia. Free guides are available in the church.


Enjoy a virtual tour here:

 

  • Captivating architecture

  • Enchanting atmosphere

  • Fascinating churchyard

  • Glorious furnishings

  • National heritage here

  • Wildlife haven

  • Accessible toilets nearby

  • Bus stop within 100m

  • Café within 500m

  • Dog friendly

  • Level access throughout

  • On street parking at church

  • Parking within 250m

  • Space to secure your bike

  • Walkers & cyclists welcome

  • Church of England

  • Cornerstone Grant, £10,000, 2020

  • Our Cornerstone Grants fund urgent repairs and essential community facilities such as toilets and kitchens to help keep churches open.

  • Partnership Grant, £10,000, 2016

  • Our Partnership Grants funded a range of repair projects, recommended by County Church Trusts, to help keep churches open.

Contact information

Other nearby churches

St Helen

Ranworth, Norfolk

St Helen's is famous for its remarkable screen, a masterpiece made in about 1450.

St Michael & All Angels

Barton Turf, Norfolk

St Michael & All Angels is a fine old 14th century Norfolk church with an historically important rood screen, with the complete Nine Orders of Angels.