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This is believed to be one of the oldest churches in Norfolk.

It is possible that parts of the west wall of the nave are from Saxon times, over 1,000 years ago, but y-tracery of the belfry openings suggests a date of about 1300.  The ogee-headed tops of the niches in the east wall are 14th century, but their original statues were probably destroyed in the 1500s – however, they now contain modern wood carvings of the Virgin Mary and of St. Maurice. The latter was commander of the Theban Legion, that was massacred in Gaul (France) for refusing to participate in pagan ceremonies.  

The church has a beautiful 14th-century window with curvilinear tracery in the south wall of the nave. A screen has been erected across the chancel arch to conserve heat.

The north side of the chancel is coloured pink – from a lichen called candellaria aurelia. 

Rare Tower
St. Maurice’s is also notable for its off-set tower (with one bell), which acts as a porch at the southwest corner of the church – probably meaning that it was a replacement for one at the west end: perhaps a collapsed round tower.

Sanctus Bell on Roof
The blocked window on the south side of the chancel is thought to be where the bell-rope for the sanctus bell on the roof once went. The bell was rung by the clerk when the bread and wine were consecrated.

South African window
There is a delightful window to St. Cecilia & St.Agnes, presented by the family of Florence Cecilia Daplyn (who was the organist at Briningham and Sharrington and who was killed in an accident whilst returning from Sharrington church having played there for the 11am service in October 1943) and her dear parents by Benjamin Jones – South Africa – 1954”.

The Breretons' Muzzled Bear Obelisk - a rarity indeed

This extraordinary “pyramid” attracts many visitors. American visitors usually associate the name Brereton with John Brereton, the 1596 curate of Lawshall, Suffolk, who in 1601 sailed with Bartholomew Gosnold to what is now Massachussetts - where Gosnold named Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, etc., and Brereton, with Gabriel Archer, wrote “Relations” about the expedition. Outside the magnificent east window stands the tall, extraordinary pyramidal Brereton Obelisk, topped by a  muzzled bear, the crest of the Brereton family, who have long had associations with St.Maurice’s (crest as in Figure A). The Briningham story is that an impetuous young officer called Brereton serving in a cavalry regiment, led his men too soon into battle, to be rebuked by the King with: “Let the bear be muzzled”. (The last occasion when a sovereign led his troops in battle, was in 1743 at Dettingen, where George II defeated  the French, so it can’t have been after that).

Figure A

 Figure B

“The Breretons of Cheshire & Norfolk” have a crest of  “a bear’s head and neck, erased [cut off], sable [black], muzzled, gules [red], studded, or [gold]” (Figure A); whereas “John Brereton Esq., of Brinton, Norfolk” bore a crest of “a bear proper muzzled or”. (Figure B). 

Briningham House is late Georgian. South of the village on the high ground overlooking Melton Park, stands the circular tower built by the Astleys of Melton Constable, that was used as a look-out post at the time of the Spanish Armada (1588), in the Napoleonic War (1793-1815) and in the two World Wars.