Last week it was St Johns in Felixstowe, this week closer to home and St Johns in Needham Market.
A very small church for the size of the town now, it has no tower, no churchyard and sits surrounded by roads and old houses in the middle of the main street. The Suffolk Churches website HERE says it was just a Chapel of Ease to the adjoining village of Barking until 1901.
It's the roof that you notice as you step into this church. Some have said it's "the best in England". It's certainly pretty amazing. A Unique C15 Angel Roof, a masterpiece of medieval engineering. No iron bolts, straps or nails. Simple morticed and tenon joints secured with wooden pegs. Looking up at the double hammer-beam roof is much like looking down into the hull of a old ship.
Just as there were in Felixstowe last week there are modern Stations of the Cross around the church, this time they are painted by Francis Hoyland in 2000.
The font is interesting
The church was closed for several months last year as repairs and alterations took place. Inside some pews have been replaced by chairs which can be moved and re-arranged to suit whatever is happening. There are several dozen lovely stitched kneelers.
In the porch are two pilgrim figures dating from C16 they represent St James of Compostela
Outside is this interesting arch in a buttress is to enable the Corpus Christi procession to go around the church while staying on consecrated ground ( bit of a tight squeeze for C21 bodies!)
This is the back of the church, you can see how close the roads are, and parked cars squeezed in everywhere.
Back Tomorrow
Sue
Lovely photos. That roof is amazing. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThat's a most interesting roof - it looks as if there are residential flats above the church! The back of the church looks very house-like too. Eye catching.
ReplyDeletexx
That roof is fascinating, very beautiful from the inside. Outside it looks as though it has had a loft conversion, bedrooms squeezed into the attics!
ReplyDeleteThat roof is so beautifull. Thanks for taking us along with your photo's.
ReplyDeleteThe churches you visit are all so interesting and filled with so much history. Thank you for sharing your visit and photos.
ReplyDeleteLovely roof x
ReplyDeleteAnother very interesting church. I really liked the font.
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Hazel c uk
A church near us has recently taken out the ground floor pews to make a multi use space too. I think the kneelers are works of art -what patience.
ReplyDeleteWe have to applaud the design and workmanship of our ancestors with that roof. They were true craftsmen using the most basic of tools. Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteAmazing roof. I also like the patterning on the stain glass window. The squeeze hole is really cute and would not be really obvious to a passer by of its intention.
ReplyDeleteThat is a wonderful roof.
ReplyDeleteIt is good that so many churches are open for visiting. The cost of the upkeep of churches is so much and with dwindling congregations donations from visitors are so important. I have seen some churches with notices stating how much the weekly upkeep is but some visitor still ignore and don’t make a donation.
What a very interesting church/ Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThat archway in the buttress is a fascinating detail.
ReplyDeleteThat is quite a ceiling in that church.
ReplyDeleteSuch a stunning ceiling and the love that must have gone into those kneelers, they are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that ceiling something! Not a dark church at all, I like that.
ReplyDeleteThe stained glass is beautiful. I love the limited color and the abstract pattern. The building is so interesting tucked in that spot!
ReplyDeleteWe love visiting churches around the country...I love to see the history and the love that has gone into the building of them....the art and the needlework..all to the glory of God . I always like to see the " children's corner "too ...this always warms my heart and makes the church feel alive and loved . I wish we could have lovely new Stations of the Cross Paintings in our church .
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