St Mary

Docking church has a huge tower that is visible from much of the surrounding countryside.

Once you enter the church through our beautiful south porch you are faced with our greatest treasure, the beautiful 14th century font. It was the font in which Docking's saint, Saint Henry Walpole, was baptised. Sadly the sculptures of saints around the bowl were defaced in the reign of Edward VI but the figures retain much of their beauty and the four symbols of the gospel writers are plain to see.

Moving in to the church you can see the Victorian reworking that was carried out in the 1870s and we also have some interesting stained glass, including a very striking modern window which was installed in the 1970s in memory of the village baker. Historically, the church was a possession of a French Abbey and was confiscated by Henry V. It was then part of the foundation gift made by Henry VI to the school he founded at Eton.

Our local saint, Henry Walpole, was baptised in Docking during the reign of Queen Mary. He went on to become a Jesuit priest and was arrested and then executed in York while Elizabeth I was on the throne.

Our beautiful churchyard holds four Commonwealth War Graves as well as being home to a collection of rare earth star fungi, the Geastrum Britannicum. Birds and butterflies make their homes in the surrounding trees and grassland. We have woodpiles set aside for mini-beasts and the site is a peaceful place to sit and enjoy either sun or shade.

Docking church is well worth a visit and is a welcoming venue for any trip out into the beautiful Norfolk countryside.