Ranworth Antiphoner

The Ranworth Antiphoner is a 15th-century illuminated antiphoner of the Sarum Rite). It was commissioned for St. Helen's Church, Ranworth, where it is now on display. The volume comprises 285 vellum pages of writing and illustrations, with daily services in medieval Latin and 19 miniatures.

The manuscript was bequeathed to the church in 1478. Previously thought to have been produced by the monks of Langley Abbey, examinations of the illuminations suggest that the Antiphoner was actually manufactured by a Norwich workshop. The insertion at the end, out of order, of the office of St Helen may back this up - a basic antiphoner could be produced on spec, and personalised to order.

The Antiphoner miraculously survived the Reformation, probably thanks to the local Holdych family. It fell into private hands, including, in the 1850s, those of Henry Huth, and eventually re-surfaced at auction in 1912, where it was bought and returned to St. Helen's.