---
title: "St Mary the Virgin, West Walton"
description: "Located in West Walton, Norfolk. Built c.1240–50; altered C15; restored 1907. Diocese of Ely. Grade I. Early English (Marshland) style."
category: "Church"
tags: ["Church","Church of England","Norfolk","West Walton","Grade I","Early English","Detached tower","Marshland"]
canonical: "https://thebritishgazette.com/post/st-mary-virgin-west-walton"
pubDate: "2026-09-06T03:04:49.569Z"
dateModified: "2026-09-07T16:07:15.188Z"
location: "West Walton, Norfolk"
country: "England"
county: "Norfolk"
town: "West Walton"
address: "School Road, West Walton, Norfolk, PE14 7ET"
postcode: "PE14 7ET"
built: "c.1240–50; altered C15; restored 1907"
denomination: "Church of England"
dedications: ["Mary"]
diocese: "Ely"
grade: "I"
style: "Early English (Marshland)"
materials: "Barnack stone with some brick"
website: "http://www.ely.anglican.org/parishes/westwalton/"
openingHours: "Access to the church is always assured. On those occasions when it has to be locked, directions are available for obtaining the key on the church door."
parish: "West Walton"
listEntryUrl: "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1077676"
gridReference: "TF 471 133"
accessNotes: "Level access to the main areas. Accessible toilets nearby"
---

# St Mary the Virgin, West Walton

The Church of St Mary the Virgin on School Road, West Walton, is a Grade I Early English parish church in the Norfolk Marshland, in the Diocese of Ely, famous for its detached thirteenth-century bell tower.

## Overview

Historic England lists the church (NHLE 1077676, 11 August 1951) as a parish church of about 1240–50, altered in the fifteenth century and restored in 1907, of Barnack stone with some brick: nave, aisles and chancel. The west front has massive later buttresses interrupting blind arcading beside a doorway of multiple shafted orders with stiff-leaf capitals. A south-aisle window of about 1240–50 has bar tracery contemporary with Westminster Abbey. The six-bay interior arcade uses circular piers with Purbeck shafts.

The detached bell tower (NHLE 1171875, Grade I) stands to the south of the church. Historic England dates it about 1240–50, restored 1907, of Barnack stone, with identical elevations, polygonal buttresses, an external wall passage and a fifteenth-century pierced parapet. The tower has been repaired by the Churches Conservation Trust; the church remains the parish church of West Walton.

## Further Information

- [Historic England list entry 1077676 (church)](https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1077676)
- [Historic England list entry 1171875 (bell tower)](https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1171875)
- [West Walton parish (Diocese of Ely)](http://www.ely.anglican.org/parishes/westwalton/)