St Mary's, Burston
Our Services page shows all services across our Benefice.
Our Church
The building of St Mary’s began with the nave in C14, in Perpendicular style, of flint and freestone. There is no record of an earlier church although rectors are recorded in C13. Over the next 100 years the chancel was added and a tower. Blomefield, in his History of Norfolk in the early 1700s, describes a round tower with octagonal belfry, and a peal of 5 bells.
Inside the Church
The church has been a meeting place for the village for six centuries. Burston has no village hall so in 1995 the building was refurbished to encourage use by the villagers not only for worship but for other community activities.
The pews and choir stalls were removed and a wooden floor laid. The extension now provides a kitchen and a toilet with disabled access. The chancel can be closed by wrought iron gates where the rood screen once stood. The C19 roof of the nave is supported on three sets of wooden trusses each supporting two vertical ‘queen-posts’. The King James I coat of arms hangs on the west wall above the font. It is unusual in retaining its original frame with pediment. It was restored in 1963. The royal coat of arms were displayed for the first time in churches after King Henry VIII broke with Rome.
Burston Youth Café
Every Thursday afternoon during school term Integrate Youth for Christ run a youth café at St. Mary the Virgin’s church in partnership with local churches. A place where young people of high school age (age 11-18) can relax and play games. There’s table-tennis, pool, xbox, wii, craft, football table, pizza and milkshakes and it’s completely free! (Unless you want to buy sweets from our tuck shop). There’s always a friendly atmosphere with very welcoming volunteers and it’s a great place to meet new friends and get to know other people in the village.
It’s wonderful to see young people enjoying themselves in such a beautiful building.
We’d love to see you there from 3:45pm – 5:15pm, if you’d like more information on this or any other events that
we run please visit www.integrateyfc.org.uk.