Norman origins

I went walkabouts today to see what treasures of history or beauty I might find and sure enough within a few minutes, right on the High Street of this London suburb I had come upon a historic find.
The tower belongs to the church of St Martin's which hides behind this gateway, and which dates back to the 13th century although is reckoned to go back before William the Conqueror.
Of course, few buildings with that heritage can claim in the present day to be totally original. And so it is with this enchanting corner of the town.
Throughout the centuries it appears that parts have been added, the building extended, and restored. Yet the French influences from Norman times are still apparent.
Being on the High Street made it seemingly impossible to capture a traffic free view, but long ago I learned you need a lot of patience if you are take anything like the photograph which best reflects your topic. Other than stand in the middle of the road to effectively bring traffic to a standstill! Just after lunchtime on a Sunday is a good time too while traffic is reasonably light
In Norman times though, they wouldn't have had such problems. But nor would they have had cameras or smartphones to even consider such matters!