An electronic version of the Society’s quarterly magazine is normally available on the website a year after publication and has been posted to members. The editions (2007-2011) are in an order which enables them to be printed out as a magazine. From March 2012 they are in page order.
The RTCS would like to thank Susan Williams who produced the Magazine in pdf format from 2007 to 2012.
Articles from earlier Magazines available to view:
Carstone and Ferricrete by Stephen Hart published in 2002.
Reclaimed Roman materials.by Stephen Heywood published in 2002.
An article about St Benedict’s, Norwich, by Richard Harbord in the The Round Tower in September 2007 is now available.
Articles on: St Peters, Needham by Stephen Hart and Richard Barham; Syleham church in its setting by Frank Howard; St Mary-the-Virgin, Houghton on the Hill by Richard Harbord; Scottish survival- Round Tower Churches of Brechin and Abernethy by Christine Draycott. Report on Round Tower Churches study day, October 2007 at Rickinghall village hall by Michael Pollitt.
Articles on: All Saints, Horsey by Stephen Hart; The Rotunda of the Holy Cross, Prague by HT and TS Norris; A churchyard building at Pentlow by Stuart Bowell; Sir Ninian Comper, an appreciation of his restorations/work in churches by Valerie Grose; St Augustine’s Abbey, Canterbury by Richard Harbord; Bliesgau, Germany by Bernd Jatzwauk. Remembrance of Bill Goode.
Articles on: St Mary’s Bartlow by Stephen Hart; All Saints, Denstone near Stoke on Trent by Michael Coates and Carole Potter. Minutes of AGM, Treasurer’s report and grants to churches 2007-2008.
All Saints, Freethorpe by Stephen Hart; Zetting, Bliesgau by Bernd Jatzwauk; Quest for Mass dials by ‘Lyn Stilgoe; The lost round tower church of St Paul, Norwich by Richard Harbord; Round tower churches in Ravenna by Henry Long. Remembrance of Brian Leslie George Harmer.
Articles on: St Margaret and St Remigius, Seething, Norfolk by Stephen Hart; St Marys, Eccles on Sea by Richard Harbord; Romanesque round tower churches and round-towered churches: a marriage of convenience by HT and TS Norris. Church tours, 2008 part 1 by Stuart Bowell. Tour of the Saarland and Alsace-Lorraine 2008.
Articles on: St Andrew’s, Hasketon, Suffolk by Stephen Hart; St Cyriakus, Gernrode by B and U Feistel; Reflections on the round tower apses of the Norwegian Stave churches by HT and TS Norris; St Peters, Beccles, by David Lindley. Church tours, 2008, Part 2.
Articles on: St Nicolas, Potter Heigham by Stephen Hart; A new thatched roof for All Saints, Horsey; Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Great Hautbois by Richard Harbord. Minutes of AGM, Treasurer’s report and grants to churches 2008-2009.
Round Tower, September 2009
Articles on: St Mary’s, Appleton by Richard Harbord; placement of pipe organs in round churches and round tower churches by Susan Williams; Interior aspects of Osterlars Round Church, Bornholm by HT and TS Norris.
This edition is not available but the article about Appleton can be downloaded: Appleton by Richard Harbord
Articles on: Ashby St Mary’s, Suffolk by Stephen Hart; St Saviour in the Nunnery of St Efrasinnia, Polotsk, Belarus by HT and TS Norris; Cycling round the round towers by Philip Evans; Snailwell, Cambridgeshire by HT and TS Norris. Church tours 2009, Part 1 by Stuart Bowell.
Articles on: St Etheldreda, Norwich by Stephen Hart; Fish associations by Valerie Grose; St Clements, Fiskerton, Lincolnshire by Harry Norris; A sketching summer by John Lee; St Mary and All Saints, Great Walsingham by Richard Harbord. Church tours 2009, part 2 by Stuart Bowell.
Articles on: St Peters, Repps with Bastwick by Stephen Hart; Bells and Belfries by Richard Harbord; Round tower churches by public transport part 1 by Joseph Biddulph. Minutes of AGM, Treasurer’s report and grants to churches 2009-2010.
Articles on: Welbourne All Saints by Stephen Hart; Round tower churches by taxi by Valerie Grose; Building materials used in Anglo-Saxon churches and their towers by Richard Harbord; A Record of East Anglian Churches by John Lee; The Round Tower church at Little Maplestead by HT, KT and TS Norris.
Articles on: St Mary’s, West Somerton by Stephen Hart; St James, Tebay by John Rhead; St Andrews, Wickmere by R.P. Harbord; Round tower churches by public transport Part 2 by Joseph Biddulph. Church tours 2010, part 1 by Stuart Bowell.
Round Tower, March 2011 Articles: Materials, towers and local piety by Joseph Biddulph; Norwich Heritage days by Anne Woollett and Paul Hodge; Rotundas and Round-towered churches in Northern Europe by Jes Wienberg; St Mary in the Marsh, Norwich by Richard Harbord. Church tours 2010, part 2 by Stuart Bowell. In memory of Edgar Spelman. This edition is not available but Richard Harbord’s article on St Mary in the Marsh can be viewed at St Mary-in-the-Marsh Church, Norwich
Round Tower, June 2011 Articles on: Britain’s most easterly gem – Gunton by Carol Quentin-Hicks; Round towers between Earth and Heaven by TS and HT Norris; Another way to visit the region’s round tower churches by John T Rhead; Investigations in Hammarlunda Church by Anders W Mortensson; Minutes of 2011 AGM, Treasurer’s report and grants to churches 2010-2011.
Articles on: Haddiscoe St Mary by Stephen Hart; St John the Baptist, Hellington by Joseph Biddulph; A re-assessment of the defensive role of round tower churches by Richard Harbord.
Articles on: St Mary Blundeston by Stephen Hart; All Saints Woodton by ‘Lyn Stilgoe; the surviving tradition of round towered churches in Slovakia by Harry and Tim Norris; Church tours 2011, Part 1 by Stuart Bowell.
Articles on: Wheel of Fortune at Ilketshall St Andrew by Valerie Grose; Round towers in Norwich Cathedral? by Richard Harbord; Church tours 2011, part 2 by Stuart Bowell. Minutes of 2012 AGM, Treasurer’s report and grants to churches 2011-2012.
Articles on: St Felix, Haverhill by KT and TS Norris; St Peter and St Paul, Wramplingham by Stephen Hart; Ladbrooke Prints of Norfolk Churches by ‘Lyn Stilgoe; Rosemary Rutherford by Anne Haward; Photographic records of gravestones by John Moore; Tour of churches in the Stamford Training Area July 2012 by Anne Woollett.
Articles on: St Mary Coslany by Richard Harbord; The lost round tower of St Mary, Birchanger, Essex by TS and HT Norris. Reports on English Heritage Angel Award 2012; Round Tower Churches in the West; ‘Lyn and Dick’s thoughts on setting up the 2012 Tour of Essex round tower churches; St Margaret’s Herringfleet; RTCS study day at Bawburgh Sept 2012. Review of Warwick Rodwell’s Archaeology of Churches by Carly Hilts. Please note Bill Goode’s photograph on the front cover is of All Saints, Mettingham and not Holy Trinity Barsham.
Articles on: Lost Church of St Peter, Ormesby by Richard Harbord; St Nicolas Feltwell The Tower Collapse by Oddstruck; Carstone or Conglomerate? by ‘Lyn Stilgoe. Reports on St Andrew, Burwell; Summer Tours 2012, part 1; Forty years of the Round Tower Churches Society; Wooden Grave-Board Survey. Review of The Medieval Monastery by Roger Rosewell. In memory of Charles Roberts.
Articles on: St Peter’s Church, North Burlingham by Richard Harbord; Missing round tower cChurches of North West Essex by HT & TS Norris. Report on 2013 AGM: Minutes, Treasurer’s Report, Grants to churches, celebration of RTCS’s 40th anniversary birthday by Michael Pollitt.
Articles on: Bricks in round tower churches by Stephen Hart; A 13th Century Coffin Slab at Fishley, Norfolk by Julian Litten. Church tours, part 2 by Stuart Bowell. In Stephen Hart’s article on Bricks in Round Tower Churches, he refers to an article by Stephen Heywood ‘The Use of Reclaimed Roman Building Materials in Norfolk Churches’ published in September 2002. It is reproduced here. Click Reclaimed Roman materials.
Articles on: Thomas Jeckll and St Mary, Brome by Richard Harbord; Samuel Woodward 1790-1838; Bessingham Round Tower Church and Solid Geology by KT and TS Norris. Tribute to Ada Goode by John Scales; Tribute to Jack Sterry. The work of RTCS grant officer Nick Wiggin.
Articles on: Round towers- built with their churches or added? by Stephen Hart; The Round Tower Churches of London by John Salmon. Rosemary Rutherford’s stained glass windows by Frank Howard.
Articles on: Little Snoring by Joseph Biddulph; Iron-bound conglomerate- the confusing rock by Jenny Gladstone. Notices from AGM: minutes, accounts, treasurer’s report, and list of grants made to churches in 2013-2014. Report on Summer Tours 2013 part 1 by Stuart Bowell. Appreciation of Dorothy Shreeve by ‘Lyn Stilgoe. Notice of Study Day at Yaxham September 2014.
Articles on: 1890 account of Pentlow church; Little Snoring and iron-bound conglomerate by Jenny Gladstone. Obituary of Stephen Hart. Talk at Shimpling by Roger Batty.
Jenny Gladstone was a geologist who wrote for the magazine: ‘Iron-bound conglomerate – the confusing rock’ was published in June 2014; and a follow up on ‘Little Snoring and iron bound conglomerate’ in September 2014. She proposes a history for the rebuilding of this fascinating little church.
Little Snoring with its iron-bound conglomerate
Articles on: the thickness of tower and church walls to differentiate Saxon and Norman work by Stephen Hart; St Mary’s Church Carleton Forehoe by Richard Harbord; St Mary, Westley Waterless, Cambridgeshire by HT, KT and TS Norris; Poxwell Dorset by Paul Hodge. Church tours 2013 part 2.
From March 2015 the format for accessing magazines has changed. It means you have to click on the title a second time.
Article: Cockley Cley All Saints by Stephen Hart; Report on RTCS Study Day at Yaxham September 2014; Medieval wax communion vessel at Mautby by Gile Emery; Information about Bequests and Donations; In Praise of churches and their value of their being accessible for everyone by Paul McNamee editor of the Big Issue.
Round Tower, June 2015
Articles: Burnham Norton St Margaret by ‘Lyn Stilgoe; Cockley Cley, All Saints by Richard Harbord; 2015 AGM: Minutes, Accounts, Grants Officers and Treasurer’s Report. Stanley Wearing 1944 book of drawings.
Articles: Cockley Cley by Richard Harbord (part 2); Heckingham by Colin Howey. Church tours 2014, part 1.
Article by David Stannard about Eccles on Sea, illustrated with his paintings of Eccles; Church tours 2014, part 2. Report; music at Burnham Deepdale; Merton’s lead theft; Brian Harmer’s legacy.
Tour of six south Norfolk churches with John Vigar, June 2015; Church tours, 2015, part 1; Norwich Round Tower Churches by Richard Barham & Anne Woollett; notice of RTCS Lead Roof Appeal; and itinerary of Church Tours for Summer 2016
Report on Wooden Grave-Board Survey; A Round Tower Church experience by John Rhead; Minutes of 2016 AGM, Accounts and Treasurer’s Report, Grants paid to churches and promises made 2015-2016; Lead Roof Appeal and letter from RTCS chairman about lead thefts to EDP; Church tours 2015, part 2 by Stuart Bowell.
The Round Tower 2016 Sept
Articles: Great Hautbois by Richard Harbord; Eccles – a lost village by Tim Pestell; The Round Tower Church of Sundre, Southern Gotland, Sweden by TS and HT Norris. Grant Officer’s Report by Nick Wiggin. Notice of lead roof appeal and study day October 15. Church tours 2016, part 1 by Stuart Bowell.
Article: Collioure: a Mediterranean round-towered church by Clare Gallaway. Report on RTCS study day, October. Church tours 2016, part 2 by Stuart Bowell. Correspondence – study day, fonts and pdfs, Taverham cat.
Hemblington All Saints: a report of archaeological exacavation January 2015 undertaken by Norvic Archaeology; Kerdiston St Mary’s, a lost round tower church by Richard Harbord; Buildings of England a poem by T J Clark; Church tours, part 3 by Stuart Bowell.
Sketches of the Rev R J Simpson by Jonathan Spurrell; Thoughts of a retired carpenter on the Angel Roof in East Anglia by Paul Durbridge; 2017 AGM information: Minutes, Accounts and Treasurer’s Report and Grant Officer’s Report; 2017 tours; Review of Angel Roofs of East Anglia by Michel Rimmer; Paintings of Haddiscoe by Sir John Arnesby-Brown; enhanced image of Kerdiston round towered church by Trevor Ashwin; about lead roof alarm appeal; more on Merel marks.
Shipden Church – a lost round tower on the Norfolk coast? by Richard Harbord; Kerdiston’s lost round tower church – an article from Reepham Life. No 82. July 2017; C19 Churchwarden Account: Extracts from Heckingham churchwardens accounts 1828 to 1853; More on merel marks: Three RTCS members responded to our piece about merel marks; Farewell to Richard Barham by Michael Pollitt; Lead thefts and the Norfolk roof alarm scheme; Torteval, Guernsey, photo from Meril Butcher
Mass Dials: more questions than answers by Matthew Champion; Church tours 2017, part 1; Round Tower Ancestors by Richard Barham; Christmas trees at Haddiscoe St Mary; Threxton awarded HLF grant.
Round Tower, March 2018
Round Towers and Scratch Dials by Dave Betterton; Remembering 70 years at RAF Swannington 1944-1947; Roy Tricker BEM; Church tours 2017, part 2 (of 3) by Stuart Bowell; General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) May 2018.
The Round Tower 2018 June‘The Beast from the East’: round tower churches in the snow; Kerdiston – update on Vattenfall cable corridor; East Anglian fonts: the purpose, position and appearance of fonts from Susan Yaxley’s book The Reformation in Norfolk Parish Churches; Teresa Wiggin: new membership secretary; Barmer church after repairs; Church tours 2017, part 3 by Stuart Bowell; Notice of RTCS Study Day: Oct 6, 2018.
Round Tower, September 2018
AGM Information: Minutes, Membership report, treasurer’s report, Grant Officer’s Report, Prince of Wales 70th Birthday Garden Party, Roof Alarm System: update; information about Study Day Oct 6, 2018; Drones and Round Tower Churches by Bob Mitchell.
Churches of Beachamwell open day.
Round Tower, December 2018
West Lexham repairs and Open Day July 2018; Jeremy Dickson at Haddiscoe; Gissing St Mary: articles by Stephen Hart article and Anne Haward (from 2004 Round Tower); Report on RTCS Study Day Stradbrooke, October 2018.
Round Tower March 2019
2019 tours; Work at Welborne; West Lexham work completed; From Bears to Bishops by Paul Harley; Basket weave windows; AGM at Weybread church; Roughton church by Richard Harbord; Work at Herringfleet by Bob Mitchell; talks at Broomfield Church, Essex.
Round Tower, June 2019
Cover: West Lexham. Opinion, welcome to revised magazine. Secretary’s 80th birthday surprise; Royal occasion for Julia Hanson. West Lexham’s Saxon windows revealed and St Nicholas Church finalist in 2019 of John Betjeman Award. Lead thieves at Beachamwell. National Lottery Heritage Fund awarded £100,000 to St Peter, Merton, and £73,000 to St Michael’s, Aslacton. Highlights of 46th annual meeting; new constitution adopted. Stan Barnes £80,000 legacy, largest in Society’s history. Church tour reports by Stuart Bowell, 2019 (Brome) and in 2018 May – Norton Subcourse, Thorpe-next-Haddiscoe, St Mary, Haddiscoe. June – Pentlow, Little Bradley and Bartlow, St Mary.
Cawston’s roof treasures by Tony Walsh. Restoration of All Saints, Snetterton cost £300,000. Feltwell church wall restored. Society’s grants of £12,000 to Haveringland, Brome, Syleham, Tuttington and Burnham Deepdale.
Round Tower, September 2019
Cover: Threxton. Opinion, Society backs roof alarm scheme. Golden jubilee of Norfolk Church Tours, which started in 1969.
All Saints, Threxton, transformed by £127,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant. Worthing’s tower climb. Society awards £6,500 to Stuston and Keswick. Tuttington receives £10,000 from Norfolk Churches Trust and Richard Harbord on the age of its round tower. Ingworth’s clarinet concerto by James Francis Brown.
Church tour 2018 – July: East Lexham, Shereford and Syderstone. August: Thorpe Abbotts, Needham and Rushall. September: Worthing, Bylaugh and Haveringland. Unknown wall painting at Waterden. Record attendance at Norfolk bat night. Cranwich’s circular graveyard and Bittering’s unusual chancel burial.
Domesday record of churches. Herringfleet repair celebrations. Full obituary of Anne Haward by ‘Lyn Stilgoe.
Round Tower, December 2019
Colour cover, Wortham. Opinion, 32-page magazine and new recruitment leaflet. Special offer on books. “Elephant” on Brome tower.
Watercolour legacy raises funds for Wortham and pilot repair project. Swainsthorpe roof angel in London exhibition. Weybread’s rare plant.
Church tour – May: Brome, Syleham and Weybread. June: Burnham Norton, Burnham Deepdale and Titchwell. Mongolia and back by Jules Anderson. Keswick church history and the Gurney family, origin of hymn.
Book review, Brilliant Beacons by Peter Tollhurst. Gressenhall’s Gallipoli memorial and Barbara Caldicott’s legacy. Surlingham’s appeal. Father Philip Gray’s half-century of service.
Chairman Stuart Bowell’s foray into Wales. Roman tiles in Norfolk churches. Stuston’s major tower repair. Frostenden’s lead theft.
Round Tower, March 2020
Cover: Thorpe Abbotts. Opinion, new film features Hales. Church tour programme 2020.
Surprise cameo film role for David Copperfield film. Movie scout’s top seven churches. Autumn start for repair of Hales and Heckingham. Norfolk author’s book on Suffolk churches. Colney’s historic road fatality.
Fornett’s friends group. Flint falls from Kirby Bedon church. Death Watch beetle attacks Tuttington’s timbers. Burnham Deepdale’s roof repair. Church tour – July: Bedingham, Woodton, and Fritton St Catherine. August: Cranwich, Feltwell St Nicholas and Weeting. September: Intwood, Keswick, and Swainsthorpe.
Lights raise cash for Thorpe Abbotts. Geoff Swain remembered. Gresham’s £140,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund. Stroll from Morningthorpe to Fritton St Catherine. Two centuries of heritage building, R & J Hogg. Mutford’s self-help opens doors and its bells ring out gain. Urgent £3,000 grant to Repps and Frostenden’s window repaired. Merton’s bold plans. Bells peal at Felmingham and Beeston’s two-banded spire gets help.
Round Tower, June 2020
Cover: Wickmere. Opinion, coping with Covid-19. Patron’s message of support.
Octagonal church puzzle. Grants of £30,000 made. New website launched. Grants of £18,500 to five round tower churches by Norfolk Churches Trust. Merton’s timbers repaired. Funeral hatchments explained by Richard Barham. Julia Hanson on St Benedict’s.
Church Conservation Trust seeks helps from members. Daffodil delight at Burnham, Norton. Parish biers by Richard Barham. Coastal ramble by Ian Francis to Somerton. Sexton’s wheel at Long Stratton.
Glories of Poland’s towers by Richard Harbord. Stuart Bowell on Charles Candler’s notes on Redenhall. Arrow hits mark at St Margaret’s Witton. Roy Tricker’s guide to Ramsholt. Cyclist David Faulkner goes extra mile for Society.
Round Tower, September 2020
Cover: Ashby. Opinion, simpler repair strategy needed. Beachamwell starts repair programme. Ashby on heritage walk trail. Feeling inspired, a fun quiz. Pop-up book sale success.
Annual report to members – by chairman, treasurer, membership and grants’ officers. Secretary’s three special churches, Edingthorpe, Fritton St Edmund and Burnham Norton. Valerie Grose’s challenge to visit round tower churches. Wheel of fortune at Ilketshall St Andrew made headlines in 2001.
East Lexham’s tower gets overhaul. Altar rails by Richard Barham. Merton’s battlefield relics and remarkable story of Rev Charles Kent. Rickinghall cracks repaired.
Focus on Bexwell, campaign to keep it open and Great War legacy. Bessingham’s name changes.
Round Tower, December 2020
Cover: East Lexham. Opinion, grants for churches. Norfolk church selected for Christmas stamp. Identify thatched churches. Chairman’s reflections. Long Stratton stages musical concert. Nik Chapman heads into Suffolk for Ride & Stride event. Bishop thanks veteran fund-raiser Mary Truman. Pulpit became more central by Richard Barham. Grant for Beachamwell’s new thatched roof. Boost for South Elmham. Rare Anglo Saxon discovery funds Wickmere window restoration. Ilketshall St Margaret transformed.
Obituary Anthony Rossi. Pauline Dickson’s legacy and John Latham. Sidestrand’s photographs from early 1900s. Moving to the Gregorian calendar by Richard Barham. Insight into medieval wall painting by Richard Harbord at West Somerton. Acle’s new thatched roof. Alacton’s tower window work. Video tale of dragon at Broomfield/. First round tower in Yorkshire by Janette Robinson. Obituary, Shirley Howell.
Round Tower, March 2021
Cover: Hales. Opinion, keep the VAT concession for heritage repairs. Obituary, Teresa Wiggin. Lockdown puzzle. Chairman’s message.
Thatchers finish work at Hales and Heckingham. Norwich School etcher Rev Edward Daniell remembered. Royal Arms take centre stage by Richard Barham.
Bungay’s Great Fire of 1688 nearly destroyed round tower. Norman carving found in 1970s’s fireplace. Poor boxes through the ages by Richard Barham. Hardley church features in cattle feed leaflet. Medieval bequests to round tower churches by Stuart Bowell. Covid-19 emergency funding for churches. St Andrew, Flixton, lost tower in 1703. Work starts at Beachamwell. Forncett’s last-minute application for grant help. Tuttington’s cash boost. Picture puzzle of Acle church. Obituary, Pauline Spelman.
Round Tower, June 2021
Cover: Rollesby. Opinion, relief on VAT concession. Surprise legacy from Diana Woodfield. 80th birthday wishes to Father Philip Gray. St Peter puzzler quiz. Annual meeting in September, writes chairman. New round tower found (in 1930) at Saxlingham Nethergate.
Building better porches by Stuart Bowell. Piscinas by Richard Barham. Gunton’s unusual doorway. Speaking in tongues by Richard Barham. Norwich School artist James Sillett painted city churches. Claude Messent, an extraordinary career. Squints through the ages. Urgent grant to St Peter Brooke. Warm welcome to new members. Obituary, Mike Trendell. Sea destroys Eccles church. Heckingham’s smart thatched roof. Passion for round towers spreads to Europe. Obituary, Jane Manning.
Round Tower, September 2021
Cover: Blundeston. Opinion, Annual meeting planned. Grant for Brooke. Spotting St Andrews quiz.
Bears take flight from Blundeston tower. Rood screens through the centuries by Richard Barham. Short guides on churches – Mettingham, South Elmham, Ilketshall St Andrew and St Margaret; Barsham and Holy Trinity, Bungay. AGM reports – by the chairman, treasurer, membership and grants’ officer.
Mutford’s unusual chancel poses questions. Legacy boost for Tuttington church. Chalice brasses – fashionable status symbol by John Vigar. Headstones at Reedham church. Family donates Warren Storey’s paintings to round tower churches. Great War church memorials by Stuart Bowell.Obituary, Dr David Sladden.