Friday, 9 November 2018

Theberton St Peter

The relics of a German airship are not something you would expect to find in a church but they are what gets this church into the 100 treasures book.

In June 1917 during the Great War, a German Zepplin L48, an airship armed with bombs, was shot down by a British aircraft above the fields in Theberton. The 16 Germans who died in the crash were buried in the churchyard here, but later moved to the German Military Cemetary at Cannock Chase in Staffordshire. 
Parts of the Zepplin are what you can see preserved in the church porch.

Theberton is a thatched church, one of a few we have in Suffolk, the first I've visited.


 Although the sun was shining, the church was a bit gloomy. It doesn't have as many windows as some churches.




However, the sun was shining on the altar



The bells are rung from the church floor in the base of the tower


and the tower is rather special as it's a round Norman , we don't have many round towered churches in Suffolk, but the bell stage at the top is octagonal.



The stained glass memorial window below is for Lieut. Col. Doughty-Wylie VC who was killed at Gallipolli. He is portrayed as St George with dragon




Some good gargoyles along the side chapel wall! There are 3 of these strange creatures


 Lots More about this church on the Suffolk Churches Website


Back Tomorrow
Sue

16 comments:

  1. What lovely colourful columns inside the church. I don't think I've ever seen a thatched one. I'm really enjoying your church visits Sue, thanks.

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    1. Those columns caught my eye too... Lovely!

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  2. I love the photo of the altar particularly - with the sun shining on it, it looks as if the three crosses in the background are shadows of the one on the table.
    It's a beautiful church.
    xx

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  3. My first thoughts on the picture of this lovely church was that it looks like different sections have been stuck together like a Lego build! The simple stone round tower looks like it has the top of another tower pasted on top and then all added to a thatched building - was this built all in one go Sue or changed over time - just curious! You captured a lovely moment of the sun on the altar.

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    1. I think bits have been changed and altered and added over time. Most of the churches were built way back and then "modernised" by the Victorians when there was more money around.

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  4. I particularly like the name of this church and my favourite part is the StGeorge window.

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  5. What a really beautiful church! I love the thatched roof and the tower. What unique features.

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  6. So interesting your visits to the churches. Thanks.

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  7. The old German relic is a strange thing to see in a Church. The stained glass was a feast for the eyes , simply beautiful.

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  8. Wow, I love it. The thatched roof, the Norman tower, and those painted columns.

    God bless.

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  9. That gargoyle looks very much like a squirrel to me!

    Some beautiful features in and on this church.

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  10. "we don't have many round towered churches in Suffolk," we have more than you may realise mum. Norfolk has the most - 126. There are 42 in Suffolk, 6 in Essex and 2 in Cambridgeshire. Outside of East Anglia, there are 3 in Sussex and 2 in Berkshire. 

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  11. What an amazing place! I do love seeing those historic buildings with the stained glass windows and stone floors and walls. Such history! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  12. I love those painted columns, I must have a read to discover how common that was. Yet another church that I would love to visit.

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