Ranworth

Inside St. Helen's church there is a medieval Latin antiphoner displayed in a security cabinet. It dates from the 14th century and has 285 ornately coloured and burnished pages. Antiphoners were banned in the 16th century when the English Book of Common Prayer was published. However, fortunately the book was hidden by a local family and survived in tact. Originally the church had two antiphoners, but one of them is now in the British Library.

St. Helen's is also famous for its painted rood screen (the finest in the country) and for the spectacular view of Broadland afforded by the church tower - hence why it is sometimes known as 'the cathedral of the Broads'.

Latin antiphoner

Views from the Church tower

In Arthur Ransome's Coot Club - Dick and Dorothea learn to sail on Ranworth Broad - instructed by the other Norfolk-born children. In The Big Six the children also sail to Ranworth Broad in an attempt to dissociate themselves from the casting-off of boats occurring in Horning. Here is the description of the broad and village:

'The Broad opened before them, trees and off-lying islands of reeds to the right. Straight ahead of them on the far side of the Broad was Ranworth staithe, with the inn and the old malt houses and the little village and, away to the right, the square tower of the old church rising above the trees.'

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St. Helen's Church

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