This page is dedicated to the parish church of St Mary the Virgin, Troston. For details about service times, and lots more information about our parish, please visit the Blackbourne Ministry Team website.

There is also a discontinued site about St Mary’s Church here with some interesting pictures and information, but please be aware that a lot of details are now out of date.

 

Troston’s Medieval Wall Paintings

The Church contains rare medieval wall paintings including dragon-slaying and the Martyrdom of St Edmund. The wall paintings are exceptional, so do go and see them if you haven’t already done so. As you enter the Grade 1 listed church, you will see a wonderfully-portrayed St George and the Dragon, a little St George, an impressive St Christopher, and St Edmund being shot with arrows at close range.

St Edmund, King and Martyr, was born at Nurembourg in 841, landed at Hunstanton and was crowned King of the Angles about 865. After his martyrdom, Edmund was made a saint, and became the patron saint of kings and the East of England. St George was born in northern Palestine in 303. He refused to deny his faith, becoming patron saint of England in 1347. There are alternative stories about why he killed the dragon, but it involved people turning to Christ if he succeeded. St Christopher, patron saint of travellers, is seen carrying what remains of the Christ child across a river.

The small Troston Heritage Appeal Group is seeking a £50,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards the conservation of the images of St George, St Christopher and St Edmund, as well as - possibly - a fragment of a Doom above the chancel arch. Such quality wall paintings are now rare in Anglican churches, although most walls were covered with them, pre-Reformation. The Troston works are clearly visible on the north wall of the nave, but are obviously in need of the tender, loving care of an expert conservator, which is very costly.

Community support for the fundraising is vital, so please check General Notices and Dates for your Diary for details of events throughout the year.

Any offers of funding for the conservation appeal would be gratefully received, as would donations generally. Please contact Susan Sollohub, Heritage Group, on 01359 269574.

• Church Notices: TROSTON HERITAGE APPEAL GROUP
  On 15 July members hosted a meeting and social evening to thank helpers with past fundraising events for Church wall painting conservation, and to discuss ideas...