Wednesday 28 November 2018

St John The Evangelist Church Bury St Edmunds

Compared to some I've visited this church is modern, built in 1841 in Victorian Gothic style using local bricks from Woolpit Brick Company

It was difficult to get a photo of the outside because this church is on a busy road, with shops and buildings all around  and it was only when I uploaded this photo I found it was a good one of the rubbish bins!
 


The East end was re-modelled in 1876 and six tall candles on the altar lead the eye up to 
        
                                       

 The starry sky that was painted on the roof above





 The treasure that gets this church into the 100 treasure book is this painting by Iain McKillop which shows the Risen Christ. It was dedicated in 2008 after a challenge to the artists of the day to design paintings for the Stations of the cross around the church.

                             

The  pictures at the other stations are much smaller


The font is painted and decorated and very fancy compared to the much older ones I've seen in village churches



This is a light, bright and wide church



There is lots about the history of this church HERE on the Suffolk Churches website.


Many thanks to everyone for comments about the chutney.
Back Tomorrow
Sue

27 comments:

  1. That's a beautiful ceiling; it reminds me of Hogwart's Great Hall. Or maybe I mean the other way round!
    xx

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    1. I shall have to watch a Harry Potter film to see what you mean!

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  2. That's a very dramatic painting! The church does indeed look, well, almost ultra modern in comparison to most others you've shown, and it's so colourful. Hard to believe it's 177 years old.

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    1. It's so different to all the early village churches I've visited.

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  3. An Anglo-Catholic church built to upstage the chapel goers. Once used as a reading room. Very interesting history. Also known locally as the Thunderbird. And it stood alone to be admired in all its glory. No longer possible. I wonder what sort of services are held there now. Happy clappy? Did you see any notices that might tell us?

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    1. Didn't notice any notices! There wasn't anyone about, all very quiet considering it's proximity to busy shoppers.

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    2. I also noticed the building of the church was funded by the Harvey (Hervey) of Ickworth family, very fitting I thought, a colourful family if ever there was one!

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  4. Wonderful ceiling and paintings. The font, however, is quite bold in colour.

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    1. I thought the font was a bit OTT and fancy Victorian

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  5. the starry sky is beautiful. I am now thinking where I can do the same in my home!

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    1. Would be good in a bathroom, laying in bath gazing at starry sky!

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  6. In love the pictures, such lovely muted colours ... unexpected in a church somehow.

    Do you find a sense of peace in the churches that you visit?

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    1. No not really peaceful, churches are almost alien to me. I know chapels better. Churches always seem huge empty spaces, whereas chapels are usually smaller and somehow friendlier.

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  7. A very 'grand' church with a beautiful ceiling. It is amazing how they are all so very different inside.

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  8. Always a joy to visit these Churches with you as I am not likely to be able to visit them myself. Whilst I admired the ceiling and colourful font it was the painting that was a delight to see. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Apparently they had a comopetition and then clergy and parishioners decided on this artist. The smaller Stations of the cross are also quite striking but I thought that would be too many photos.

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    2. Never too many photos,Sue. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy your photo visits.

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  9. I have never seen a Font so colorful.
    Along with lots of your replies Sue thank you for all enjoyment I get from your posts.
    Hazel c uk

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    1. I'm glad you are enjoying the posts, I need to visit some more as I've run out of churches in drafts, but the weather hasn't been conducive to visiting chilly churches

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  10. Another surprising church, quite colorful. I did like the starry ceiling.
    What is the difference between a church and a chapel? Here in the U.S. most religious buildings are called churches. Although now that I think of it if it is a repurposed building it is called "the church in the old Walmart/furniture store/theater but still a church. Chapel is most often, I think, a place to go to get quickly married.

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    1. I always think of churches as the Church of England Church that all villages have whereas chapels are the buildings used by Methodist, Baptist and other non-conformist congregations. (Although they can be called churches too!)

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  11. Love the painting of the risen Christ.

    God bless.

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  12. Isn't this Norah Lofts' part of the world? Although all her books I remember were set before this church was built. I was particularly thinking about her recently because I visited my high school library and I remember the librarian recommending several to me.

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  13. It is beautiful, and I cannot help but admire it, but give me the simple country ones any day.

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