St Lawrence's Church, Castle Rising

Below the great earthworks of Castle Rising, in a village of brick and carrstone cottages, stands a Norman church built by the same lord who built the castle. Its west front is one of the most richly carved in Norfolk, and inside are Norman arches under the central tower and a square Norman font carved with faces. With the castle and the market cross, it makes one of the best small days out in west Norfolk.

The castle's church

William d’Albini, who married the widow of King Henry I, built the castle at Rising in the 1130s and 1140s, and St Lawrence’s was largely built for the village at about the same time, though parts may be earlier, with a nave, central tower and chancel. The square font is probably older still, from an earlier church found inside the castle ramparts.

In the thirteenth century the chancel was remodelled with lancet windows and a set of stone seats for the clergy. By the 1760s parts of the church were ruinous. Around 1849 it was restored by the architect Anthony Salvin, paid for by Fulke Greville Howard of Castle Rising; in 1883 a south transept and porch were added, and the tower was raised in the late nineteenth century.

Detail of the interlaced Norman arcading on the west front of Castle Rising church, carved with zigzag and heads — Interlaced arcading and zigzag on the west front. Photograph by Michael Garlick on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

The visitor's cheat sheet

St Lawrence's Church, Castle Rising at a glance
Where	St Lawrence's Church, Castle Rising, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE31 6AG
Getting there	About 5 miles north-east of King's Lynn off the A149; King's Lynn–Hunstanton buses; parking at the castle
Opening hours	No fixed published opening hours. Mattins on the second Sunday of the month at 11am
Admission	Free; donations welcome. Castle Rising Castle: adults £6, concessions £5, children £4
How long	Half an hour; half a day with the castle
Best time	An afternoon, when the sun lights the west front
Dress code	None; it is the parish church
Tours	Self-guided

Hours and admission checked against the official site in October 2026. They change; the official site is always the last word.

The castle next door. Castle Rising Castle has one of the finest Norman keeps in England, set within huge earth ramparts. Queen Isabella, the widow of Edward II, lived here after her son Edward III took power. It is privately owned and open daily in summer and from Wednesday to Sunday in winter.

What to see, in the order you meet it

The west front

Start outside the west end: a round-arched doorway with zigzag, a window above it, and bands of interlaced arcading, carved with grotesque heads. The gable is a Victorian rebuilding.

St Lawrence's Church, Castle Rising, from the south, with its saddleback-roofed central tower and Victorian porch among trees — The church from the south: Norman core, Victorian tower top and porch. Photograph by John M on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

A round Norman doorway carved with bands of zigzag, inside the south porch of Castle Rising church — A zigzag Norman doorway inside the south porch. Photograph by Michael Garlick on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

The nave and crossing

Inside, the nave leads to the Norman arches beneath the central tower, carved with zigzag. Beyond is the chancel.

The nave of St Lawrence's Church, Castle Rising, looking east through two round Norman arches under the tower to the chancel — The nave, looking east through the Norman arches of the crossing. Photograph by Michael Garlick on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

A richly carved round Norman arch with zigzag mouldings beneath the central tower of Castle Rising church — The Norman arch into the crossing. Photograph by Michael Garlick on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

The font

The square Norman font has a plaited border round the rim, heads at its corners and, on one face, three cat-like faces. It is probably older than the church itself.

The square Norman font at Castle Rising, its bowl carved with a plait border and faces — The square Norman font, older than the church. Photograph by Michael Garlick on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

A carved stone head with staring eyes at the corner of the Norman font at Castle Rising — One of the heads at the corners of the font. Photograph by Michael Garlick on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

The chancel

In the chancel are the thirteenth-century piscina and three-seated sedilia, and the lancet windows of the Early English remodelling. The windows of the church have Victorian glass, several windows by William Wailes.

The market cross on the green at Castle Rising, with trees and the village around it — The market cross on the green, a short walk from the church. Photograph by Richard Humphrey on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Visiting

Free to visit

The church is free. Leave time for the castle, the market cross on the green, and the seventeenth-century Trinity Hospital almshouses in the village.

Where to stay in King's Lynn

The hotel link goes to Booking.com. This site earns nothing from it at present — it is here because it is the quickest way to check what is actually available.

Don't miss

The west front Norman carving and arcading.
The Norman font Faces at the corners.
The crossing arches Zigzag under the tower.
The sedilia Thirteenth-century stone seats.
The castle A great Norman keep, next door.
The market cross On the village green.

Insider tips

Make a day of west Norfolk. Sandringham is a few miles north-east, and the medieval churches and quays of King’s Lynn are ten minutes away.

Common questions

Is Castle Rising church free to visit?

Yes. St Lawrence’s is the parish church and is free to visit; donations help to look after it. Castle Rising Castle, a few minutes’ walk away, charges admission: £6 for adults, £5 for concessions and £4 for children.

When is the church open?

The church does not publish fixed opening times. There is a service of Mattins on the second Sunday of the month at 11am. If you are making a special journey, contact the Sandringham Group of parishes first.

How old is the church?

It was largely built in the mid-twelfth century, probably for William d’Albini, who built the castle; parts may be earlier. The chancel was remodelled in the thirteenth century, and in the nineteenth century the church was restored, with a new south transept and porch and a taller tower.

How do you get to Castle Rising?

Castle Rising is about five miles north-east of King’s Lynn, just off the A149. Buses between King’s Lynn and Hunstanton stop nearby. There is parking at the castle.

Where to stay and eat nearby

King’s Lynn, ten minutes away, has the most choice of places to stay and eat.

Hotels near Castle Rising

More English churches

Castle Acre Priory — Norman carving on a grand scale, half an hour away
Binham Priory — on the north Norfolk coast
Kilpeck Church — England’s best Norman village church carving

See all the churches worth visiting in England →