RTCS CHURCH TOURS and AGM 2026
The Society’s annual meeting takes place on Saturday, May 9 2026 at the Waveney Heritage Centre, Brockdish IP21 4JP. It will start at 2.15pm.
What3words – kicked.titles.eventful
The first tour of the summer season starts at 10am on the same day.
Saturday, May 9, 2026 (10am)
Ilketshall St Andrew NR34 8NZ – airports.apprehend.cheered
Ilketshall St Margaret NR32 1QU – quiet.absorbs.scrubbing
Hardwick St Margaret NR15 2AB – direct.bloomers.latest
The summer tours continue on Saturdays, all starting at 2.30pm.
Saturday, June 6, 2026 (2.30pm)
Sidestrand, St Michael & All Angels NR27 0LY – testing.whizzing.warns
Roughton, St Mary NR11 8SZ – mason.baths.grounded
Aylmerton, St John the Baptist NR11 8PZ – represent.prefer.junction
Saturday, July 4 (2.30pm)
Colney, St Andrew NR4 7TW – export.palms.luck
Bawburgh, St Mary and St Walstan NR9 3NH – crisper.riverbed.dust
Wramplingham, St Peter & Paul NR18 0RY – overhear.period.recent
Saturday, August 1 (2.30pm)
Mutford, St Andrew NR34 7UY – shuttling.tinsel.backdrop
Rushmere, St Michael NR33 8ED – motel.urge.galloped
Gisleham, Holy Trinity NR33 8DS – demotion.runners.throw
Saturday, September 5 (2.30pm)
South Pickenham, All Saints PE37 8EA – Defender.tractor.passwords
Cockley Cley, All Saints PE37 8AL – upstarts.river.passport
Beachamwell, St Mary PE37 8BB – bronze.hotspots.impulses
NORFOLK CHURCH TOURS
Join the summer tour programme of church tours in Norfolk from April 19.
All the guided tours are free and all are welcome. Tea is usually provided at one of the churches. The Norfolk Church Tours, which started in 1969, take place on a Sunday afternoon and usually end with a brief service of worship to end the day. The experienced team of tour guides, ‘Lyn Stilgoe and Richard Barham, with assistance of Michael Pollitt, will highlight aspects of architectural and historical importance of the various churches.
Sunday, April 19, 2026 (2.30pm)
East Bradenham, St Mary IP25 7QL (Churches Conservation Trust) – warbler.creatures.bashed
West Bradenham, St Andrew IP25 7QP (T) – improve.ballooned.words
North Pickenham, St Andrew PE37 8JZ (T) – goofy.lends.neutron
Swaffham, SS Peter & Paul PE37 7AB (T) Cleanser.adust.observers
Sunday, May 17, 2026 (2.30pm)
Horsham St Faiths NR10 3JJ – spices.beside.lonely
Horsford, All Saints NR10 3DB – shepherdess.corrosive.comforted
Drayton, St Margaret NR8 6DW – treaded.winner.regularly
Hellesdon, St Mary NR6 5AT – spray.cove.wonderfully
Sunday, June 21, 2026 (2.30pm)
Blo Norton, St Andrew IP22 2JE – lurching.modem.sizes
Garboldisham, St John the Baptist IP22 2SE – Hammer.than.mandolin
Riddlesworth, St Peter IP22 2TA – decoded.agent.recap
West Harling, All Saints NR16 2SE – mason.cuddling.vitamins
Sunday, July 26 (2.30pm)
Wells, St Nicholas NR23 1EQ – upwardly.giant.repayment
Holkham, St Withburga NR23 1RW – Bleaker.computers.lunch
Burnham Overy, St Clements PE31 8HX – decently.corrupted.carpeted
Burnham Sutton, All Saints PE31 8UR – birdcage.bound.briefer
- (T) toilet
In 2025, we visited
Bungay, Holy Trinity NR35 1EH (Mettingham, All Saints and Barsham, Holy Trinity. (T*)
South Ockendon, RM15 66SD,
St Nicholas of Myra; then Broomfield, St Mary;
Great Leighs, St Mary the Virgin CM3 1PL;
Bardfield Saling , St Peter & St Paul. (T*),
Lamarsh, Church of the Holy Innocents CO8 5ET.
Hales NR14 6QN, St Margaret, Heckingham, St Gregory Raveningham, St Andrew.
Sedgeford PE36 5NA, St Mary; Little Snoring, St Andrew,
Great Ryburgh, St Andrew.
Mautby NR29 3JA, St Peter & St Paul;
Repps with Bastwick, St Peter; Rollesby, St George.
NORFOLK CHURCH TOURS (free)
Reedham NR13 3TZ, St John the Baptist (T);
Wickhampton, St Andrew.
Halvergate, St Peter & St Paul; Tunstall, St Peter & St Paul.
Stow Bedon, St Botolph NR17 1BX;
Caston, Church of The Holy Cross
Griston, St Peter & St Paul; Thompson, St Martin.
Wiggnhall St Germans PE34 3EY; Wiggenhall St Mary the Virgin, Wiggenhall St Mary;
Watlington St Peter & St Paul.
Antingham St Mary NR23 0NL; Suffield, St Margaret of Antioch; Colby, St Giles;
Erpingham, St Mary.
Church tours 2024
Round Tower Churches Society. All at 2.30pm
Saturday, June 1
Framingham Earl, St Andrew NR14 7SD
Poringland, All Saints NR14 7LE
Howe, St Mary NR15 1HD.
Saturday, July 6
Hemblington, All Saints NR13 4EF
Little Plumstead, SS Protase & Gervase NR13 5FB
Old Catton, St Margaret NR6 7DR
Saturday, August 3
Bruisyard, St Peter IP17 2EG
Hasketon, St Andrew IP13 6JB
Ramsholt, All Saints IP12 3AE
Saturday, September 7
Ingworth, St Lawrence NR11 6PD
Tuttington, SS Peter & Paul NR11 6AZ
Brampton, St Peter NR10 5AA
Norfolk Church Tours
(All at 2.30pm)
Sunday, June 16
Talcolneston, All Saints NR16 1DF
Bunwell, St Michael & All Angels NR16 1SN
Carleton Rode, All Saints NR16 1RN
Old Buckenham, All Saints NR17 1RP
Sunday, July 21
Ickburgh, St Peter IP26 5JG
Lynford, Our Lady & St Stephen IP26 5EL
Mundford, St Leonard IP26 5DZ
Northwold, St Andrew IP26 5ND
All are welcome to join the tours, which are free. The guides, ‘Lyn Stilgoe, Richard Barham and Michael Pollitt will highlight details of the church and its history.
The Norfolk Church Tours finish each Sunday with a service at the final church visited – usually about 6.30pm.
Copies of the Society’s golden jubilee edition of East Anglian Round Tower Churches by Stephen Hart cost £5. The 28-page booklet, which lists all the country’s round tower churches, is for sale at the City Bookshop, Norwich, and Harleston’s bookshop. Copies may be ordered through the Society’s website – www.roundtowers.org.uk
If you have an event you would like to publicise please send information to michaelbpollitt@btinternet.com