Thursday, 16 August 2018

St. Peter and St Paul's Church In Eye

Eye was once an important town in this area of Suffolk close to the Norfolk border. It had a registry office and was the name of the parliamentary constituency up until the 1980's. It is still a town that serves the surrounding rural are but I found the last bank is closing next month so that won't help the businesses at all. (It's the nearest place to home for a Chinese take-away!)

The church is one of the largest I've visited so far on my tour of Suffolk Churches.
Very difficult to get anywhere to take a photo of the whole church from the churchyard and as usual my photos always make the tower look as if it is leaning! The tower is the reason for this church featuring in the 100 Treasures in Suffolk Churches book. It is a landmark  100 feet tall and was built around 1450.
The South porch on the right of the photo above isn't used as a way into the church but now used as a shop! It's been running for 25 years and is the  first shop-in-a-church I've  seen in Suffolk. It sells Traidcraft and  Fair Trade items and second hand bits, bobs and books. The shop is open from 10am until 1pm on 3 days and looks a good place to call in and look round.


 The church is a very wide church, difficult to get everything into a photo. It was extended and refurbished  in the 1800's when churches set about restoring their Catholic roots.


The shrine of Our Lady, set in a tomb recess, dates from 1973 and was carved by Lough Pendred

The alter has 6 tall candles which according to the Suffolk Churches website is unusual and a mark of Anglo-Catholic tradition.
 


Parts of the roof are painted. Perhaps it was all painted in the distant past.



Among the interesting things to look at are the plaques that mark the Stations of the Cross, a series of images depicting Christ on the day of his crucifixion. These were often used for pilgrims to process around during Lent stopping for prayers at each station.  I just took a photo of one.


Just outside the church is the Half Timbered building which was once the Guildhall

Lots more about the church HERE

I'll be going back for the Art Exhibition over the late summer Bank Holiday Weekend and hope to climb the castle mound for better photos of the church

Thank you for comments yesterday


Back Tomorrow
Sue
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24 comments:

  1. Joy16 August 2018 at 06:29

    That really is a big one, isn't it? I particularly like the photos of the roof - very colourful.
    xx

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 August 2018 at 08:31

      Very wide.............3 aisles and impossible to photograph

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  2. MarleneS16 August 2018 at 06:33

    Lovely to see all the churches you are visiting, one of my favourite ways to spend a day out is visiting churches and cathedrals.

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 August 2018 at 08:31

      I will get to our one Suffolk cathedral sometime in the autumn - looking forward to that.

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  3. Sooze16 August 2018 at 06:39

    Lovely church and yes, very big. I'm really enjoying your church visits, Sue, I'd love to do the same here in our county, but husband isn't so keen.

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  4. Dc16 August 2018 at 06:49

    You are certainly getting out and about.

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 August 2018 at 08:29

      I'm still doing churches close to home on the way to something rather than special excursions.....they will be further afield and come later.

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  5. Rachel Phillips16 August 2018 at 07:25

    I could have met you there. I live 25 minutes away. Sadly I will miss the art exhibition this year as I am away. Last year I bought a jug there. It was my first outing after P disappeared. Look out for the pottery by an elderly Suffolk potter, the only pots amongst all the paintings. Eye is one of my favourite towns except for the A140 I have to cross coming back!

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 August 2018 at 08:13

      Archaeologist son has just been survey two areas each end of Eye airfield where they are going to build roundabouts on the A140. With luck it will make things easier for getting over the road as I keep putting off a visit to Diss for the same reason!
      I will get to do Palgrave church in September and will let you know when I'm there.
      Hope the potter is there this year.

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  6. Spade and Dagger16 August 2018 at 08:16

    I'm also really enjoying your posts on these churches. We always try to visit any we pass when out & about, but sadly so many are now (understandably) left locked up. Luckily the graveyards are usually still accessible (although we have seen some in a poor state locked away behind fences) & we have a look at the interesting inscriptions.

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  7. sadie c16 August 2018 at 08:18

    I'm unashamedly biased, but I think Suffolk churches are the prettiest :O)

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  8. Sheila16 August 2018 at 09:13

    I love the painting in the roof.
    I thought about you the other day when a lorry passed us on our lane....it was from Eye.
    Hope the decorating is going well.
    Hugs-x-

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  9. The Weaver of Grass16 August 2018 at 10:19

    i agree with Sadie about Suffolk churches (and Norfolk too actually)

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  10. Sharon16 August 2018 at 11:41

    Beautiful church. There are so many in Suffolk, so old and beautiful.

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  11. Bovey Belle16 August 2018 at 12:13

    What a fascinating church and I LOVED the painted timbers of the ceiling. Churches were so colourful once - then came Cromwell and his lot! That south porch looks unusual too and nice idea to have a Fair Trade shop in there. I know v. little about the Catholic religion so finding out about the 6 candles was new to me.

    Thank you for sharing and look forward to more.

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  12. Anonymous16 August 2018 at 12:24

    I also like Eye. If you want to see an amazing painted ceiling try Huntingfield (page 106 in the 100 treasurers book). It is worth the trip in itself. I was there yesterday...locked but a number for a key holder who turned up in five minutes.
    Traveller

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  13. Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe16 August 2018 at 13:04

    It is very beautiful. The history that the church holds must be so interesting.

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  14. Winters End Rambler16 August 2018 at 13:12

    I wonder how much a church is valued at? They'd never build like it now sadly. x

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    1. Anonymous16 August 2018 at 14:15

      I am the treasurer of a PCC for a Suffolk church, neither particularly small nor large. It’s insurance value is £8,000,000

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  15. Marcia16 August 2018 at 14:38

    I didn't realize that some of the Anglican churches went back to being Catholic. Thanks for the tour.

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  16. amulbunny's random thoughts16 August 2018 at 20:58

    In re the candles, our Lutheran parish uses candles quite similar to those on the altar.

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  17. mamasmercantile17 August 2018 at 13:25

    Beautiful church, you took us on a great tour.

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  18. Unknown18 August 2018 at 11:39

    So Sue that means Ben Wishaw can't play Keats as he's gay and Ian Mckellen can't play King Lear as he is gay and Hugh Grant can't play Jeremy Thorpe because he is heterosexual. Utterly ridiculous. If that's the argument then no gay actor can play any heterosexual part.

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