Also thank you for comments yesterday
Walsham le Willows is another church dedicated to St Mary. Its a big village with a big church to match. It even has a clock which is quite unusual for a village church. The church was gifted to Ixworth Priory and rebuilt - probably around 1541 and then again, as with so many churches, it was modernised by the Victorians.
The pinnacles on the top of the tower were hauled up there in around 1475 and depict the armorial beasts of Edward IV.
Wide and light because of the big clerestory windows.
This little wooden medallion is the reason for this church getting a mention in the 100 treasures book.
It records the death of Mary Boyce aged 20 in 1685. The book says.............
It is thought to be part of a maiden's garland, also known as a virgin's crant or crown, from the German word krantz meaning a wreath. The disc is made of elm wood and below the name is a heart pierced by an arrow because it was said that Mary died of a broken heart
The custom was to hang a garland in the church as a funery memento for a chaste young woman cheated by death of her marriage. In earlier times the disc would have been hung with garlands annually.
In Shakespeares Hamlet it says " yet here she is allow'd her virgin crants, her maiden strewments."
Below is the alter reredos, The Last Super, made by terracotta artist George Tinworth in 1883
This modern stained glass window is so colourful. It is a memorial window featuring St Dorothy for stained glass artist Rosemary Rutherford who was the sister of the rector. She died in 1972.She designed it but didn't live to see it completed
This painting is by the same lady
Fragments of the medieval glass were collected and used in the octagonal lozenges in the east window below.
The porch with amazing chequer board flint-work.
Many more photos and information at The Suffolk Churches Website
Back Tomorrow
Sue
Hello Sue, I'm one of your new followers and I'm really enjoying your very informative church tours! Now that our youngest is almost ready to leave the nest, I hope to realise a long held dream of spending a few years in your beautiful country....so I'm tucking away any and all information. Thanks for sharing. Evi in Australia
ReplyDeleteHello and welcome, I'm glad you enjoy the church visits. I'm learning so much about churches and their architecture while doing them.
DeleteDo hope you get to visit, we are only a little country but a lot of interesting stuff packed into it and we don't always appreciate the history we have.
Thanks Sue, its all that lovely history, the old buildings and the long ago myth and magic that I'd like to see and feel! We have so little here and what we do have is a mere 200 years old!
DeleteLooks like another church which doubled up as the Tax Collector - chequer flint. Interesting painting and stained glass by the woman you mention.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting about the tax collection, haven't come across mentions of it on the Suffolk Churches website but the people who couldn't read would have certainly noticed this pattern!
DeleteThe stained glass window was really bright and colourful, better than my photo. The lady made some for other churches and lived in the village when her brother was vicar in the 1960's and to 1972 when she died - still quite young.
The church collected tax, or tithe as it was known, from peasants either in money or in produce. It was very unpopular.
DeleteHappy birthday.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I have just opened 9 cards!
DeleteMy total is now 6!
DeleteWhat a beautiful church and the artwork is amazing. I love that stained glass. You always find the most interesting churches. I hope you have an especially good day today.
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteThe 100 treasures in 100 churches book has led me to visiting so many fascinating churches and searching out all the things mentioned.
Happy Birthday Sue hope you have a nice day.
ReplyDeleteI love reading about the churches and that stained glass is remarkable.
I was very upset about Norte Dame (wrong spelling)
So much damage done at Notre Dame but they have been offered lots of help to rebuild
DeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY SUE. Good to bump into you the other day. I hope you have a relaxing birthday. PatC
ReplyDeleteThank you - we must meet up for a coffee
DeleteHappy birthday to you! xxx
ReplyDeleteThank you for the card and the one a couple of weeks ago - it cheered me up a lot
DeleteHappy Birthday Sue.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a lovely day today.
Hugs-x-
Thank you
DeleteSo many treasures--large and small--in these churches. Thanks for sharing your photos and some of the history. Hope you have a Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteThank you- I had a good day
DeleteWith the fire in Notre Dame it made me realize how many of these old churches are subject to fire. Mostly you see the stone and forget that wood makes up a major part of the construction of these churches. I just read that each of the beams in the ceiling at Notre Dame was a trunk of a tree. Thanks for sharing another church. Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteThank you, The fire shows how quickly something so old can disappear. We are lucky that so many small churches have survived
DeleteThat is an amazing church. Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jill. Hope the weather calms down up there for you to get out for longer
DeleteHappy Birthday Sue!
ReplyDeleteVery best wishes for the coming year.
You are an inspiration to so many of us.
Thank you for writing your blog.
Love from Pam in Texas.xx
Thank you, that is such a lovely thing to say.
DeleteHappy Birthday Sue - you share the same day as my little sister. x
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting church - shame I live so far away to visit these Suffolk churches. The stained glass is amazing.
Happy Birthday Sue!
ReplyDeleteThank you for another wonderful church to marvel at. The stained glass is so vibrant.
Hope you had a wonderful day!
Ann in SoCal
Happy Birthday!!!
ReplyDeleteI am always amazed by the way the roofs of all the churches on your tours.
God bless.
Another beautiful church! Thanks for taking us on a tour.
ReplyDelete