Thursday 3 October 2019

St Peter and Paul, Clare

Back to normal with today's blog after yesterdays bit of fun! I certainly didn't have to go off in a strop because of lack of comments and I'm glad it made a few people smile.


When DiL, Willow and I were in Clare to visit son on his dig we popped into town to the church because it's in my book.

Clare is another small town/large village with a big church


 Many of the churches in this part of Suffolk are big, built or refurbished in the medieval period on the money made from wool.

The porch - not as wide inside as it is outside


The sun-dial instructing people to Go About Your Business/ Get On With Their Work! (or maybe it said this because lots of business like tax collecting would have taken place in the church porch) - it was almost telling the right time apart from being in British Summertime.

Bell Ringers Gallery in the tower

Another very old chest which would once have held all the churches wealth and documents.


This is why the porch looks bigger outside than inside because half of it has this stairs leading up to a gallery. Thought to have been built by Sir Thomas Barnadiston the owner of Clare Priory in Jacobean times it is known as the Priory Pew

This large beer jug, called a gotch,  is the reason that this church gets a mention in the 100 treasures book. It was presented to the bell-ringers by the vicar in 1729 and holds 32 pints. It's inscribed' Clare Ringers 1729' and  campana sonant canore' which translates to 'the bells ring in harmony'. The vicar Revd Matthew Bell owned The Six Bells pub which was in the corner of the churchyard and his family owned The Crown Inn also in the town

When we were there a man was polishing all these beautiful brass candlesticks from the choir stalls. He said it took several hours each month, a  labour of love I think


View down the nave - (should have moved Willows pushchair out of the photo!)

 More HERE on the Suffolk Churches website


Back Tomorrow
Sue

16 comments:

  1. You are so lucky, having so many churches around to visit, when we go out any where I am always on the lookout.

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    1. 100 in my book out of 700 in Suffolk - not sure I will ever get to visit all of the 100 let alone the other 600!

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    2. Blimey that's a lot!

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  2. It's a lovely church. I particularly like those old chests that so many churches still have.
    xx

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    1. They would have been real treasure chests back in the day

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  3. My mother attended Mass at Clare Priory every Sunday, served by a community of Augustinian monks. Her funeral was there when she died last year. If you want to see a new modern church in an otherwise historical setting that has been beautifully done it’s worth taking a look if you are in Clare again.

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    1. Son will be back there digging next year and I need to visit the area for lots of other churches, so I'll remember that

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  4. Gosh those brass candlesticks look very well polished and cared for.

    The architecture of English churches is fascinating. I love to look in old churches when we get the opportunity which has been less of late. When I used to travel around the country when for music when I was actively playing and performing and also when I was exhibiting cavies I used to make a point of visiting the churches in the area. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. I've learned a whole new language because of visiting churches, it's been so interesting

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  5. Maybe I'm a bit naive, but because a few bloggers are having trouble with trolls, particularly Sooze, I thought it was a serious post, with the exception of the last 'tip' where I thought you were taking the mickey out of yourself. There weren't any comments displayed when I made my comment, so perhaps I should wait to see when it's a bit of fun or not. Lesson learned.

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    1. It was sort of serious and sort of fun so don't worry and please keep commenting as early as you like. I don't take myself and blogging too seriously - it's something I find fun to do and every now and again I like to lighten things up a bit, the Suffolk sense of humour is a bit odd!

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  6. My idea of a lovely afternnon out mooching round a church and this one looks beautiful. That brass has put mine to shame think I better get cleaning! xx

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    1. Some I've been to have been tiny and hardly used others like this one big and well cared for.

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  7. I enjoy reading about the churches you visit.

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  8. Patricia (in West Suffolk)3 October 2019 at 19:42

    I don't know if it's in your book, but I would recommend you visit Kedington Church when you're in Clare again. (No, that's not where I live - it's just a very interesting church!).

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  9. What a lovely old church, although I find the picnic style tablecloths a little jarring - happy, but jarring.

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