28 Sep 2021

Legacy of paintings presented by artist’s family to churches

by | posted in: Aldham, St Mary, Aslacton, St Michael, Beachamwell St Marys, Bessingham, St Andrew, Blundeston, St Mary the Virgin, Bradwell, St Nicholas, Brooke, St Peter, Burgh Castle, Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Burnham Norton, St Margaret Church, Cranwich, Saint Mary the Virgin, East Lexham, Saint Andrew, Edingthorpe, All Saints, Freethorpe, All Saints, Fritton St Edmund, Saint Edmund, Gayton Thorpe, Saint Mary, Gissing, Saint Mary, Hales, Saint Margaret, Hardwick, Saint Margaret, Hasketon, St Andrew, Heckingham, Saint Gregory's, Hengrave, St John Lateran, Herringfleet, St Magaret, Howe, Saint Mary the Virgin, Illketshall, Saint Andrew, Ingworth, Saint Lawrence, Letheringsett, Saint Andrew, Little Bradley, All Saints, Little Snoring, Saint Andrew's Church, Long Stratton, Saint Mary's Church, Lound, St John the Baptist, Mautby, Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Mettingham, All Saints, Morningthorpe, Saint John the Baptist, Mutford, Saint Andrew, News, Potter Heigham, Saint Nicholas, Ramsholt, All Saints, Repps with Bastwick, St Peter, Rocklands, Saint Peter, Roughton, Saint Mary, Runhall, All Saints' Church, Rushmere, Saint Michea, Sedgeford, Saint Mary the Virgin, Seething, St Margaret and St Remigius Church, Spexhall, Hall Lane, Swainsthorpe, Saint Peter, Thorpe next Haddiscoe, Saint Matthias, Titchwell, Saint Mary, Watton, Saint Mary's, West Lexham, Saint Nicholas, West Somerton, Saint Mary's Church | 0

A collection of paintings of round-tower churches by the late artist Warren Storey was dispersed across the region.

His five daughters decided after his death in 2008 to present about three dozen paintings to the churches in the eastern counties.

Mr Storey, who was a leading light of the artistic community in the West Country, painted at least 40 round tower churches during his summer holidays over a 20-year period.

South Norfolk churchwarden, George Hammond, explained the background to his generous legacy. He had been contacted by a friend of the artist’s family, Mr George Pipe, who presented a painting of St Mary the Virgin to Gissing Church.

The family had decided to gift paintings from his extensive collection to the individual churches represented.

Now Mr Hammond was trying to establish how many churches had received the paintings. He knew that there had been an exhibition in Bristol in 1997 of a large number of Mr Storey’s paintings – all of round-tower churches.

However, he had been unable to obtain a copy of the 1997 catalogue and even the family did not have a definitive list.

Mr Storey, who was born in South Shields on August 19, 1924, died in the south of France on August 6, 2008. For more than half a century, his work had been exhibited at the Royal West of England Academy’s autumn exhibition in Bristol, and also occasionally at the Royal Academy’s summer show.

He was head of Weston-super-Mare School of Art between 1950 and 1984 and became vice-president of the Royal West of England Academy from 1989 to 1994. He had served as artist’s chairman under Mary Fedden in the 1980s.

Mr Hammond had found examples of Mr Storey’s paintings at churches including Hales, Hardwick and Thornham Parva.

A list of round tower churches painted by Warren Storey RWA

Aldham, Aslacton

Beachamwell*, Bessingham* Blundeston, Bradwell, Brooke*, Burgh Castle*, Burnham Norton.

Cranwich

East Lexham, Edingthorpe.

Freethorpe, Fritton.

Gayton Thorpe*, Gissing

Hales, Hardwick*, Hasketon, Heckingham, Hengrave, Herringfleet*, Howe*

Ilketshall St Andrew, Ingworth.

Letheringsett, Little Bradley, Little Snoring, Long Stratton* Lound

Mautby, Mettingham*, Morningthorpe, Mutford.

Old Buckenham

Potter Heigham

Ramsholt, Repps with Bastwick; Rockland St Peter, Roughton, Runhall*, Rushmere St Michael.

Sedgeford, Seething, Spexhall, Swainsthorpe*

Thorpe next Haddiscoe, Titchwell*, Thornham Parva*; Titchwell*

Watton, West Dereham; West Lexham; West Somerton

At the 1997 exhibition (*possible)