I had a parcel to post and have no idea if the Post Office inside the Co-op will be open. The Welsh Minister clearly said that PO's and banks in Wales are staying open but no mention by Boris for England. So I will go out for fruit and find out and need to see about vets being open - I guess not.
Anyway here is what was originally planned for my post today................
A church post from drafts.
This is the 50th church I've visited out of 100 in the book. There are a few left in Mid and East Suffolk to visit but most of the remaining 50 are many miles away and need a day trip out - something I won't be doing in the foreseeable future.
There was a problem with the 'treasure' that gets this church a mention in the 100 churches book.....I couldn't find it. But then I realised the Brass effigy of a priest and other brasses were hidden under large mats around the altar - to keep them safe and clean I guess. So no photos, but there was a framed picture on the wall of pieces of some of the brasses.
Brundish is a tiny village in the middle of farmland, perhaps that's why the Victorians didn't do much 'improvement'. So it is very plain and even the few bits of stained glass disappeared thanks to a stray German bomb in 1941. Apparently it has undergone quite a lot of restoration work in the last 20 years.
The tower seems very square and solid because it has no buttresses. It was originally Norman and the lower half survived a 14C rebuilding
The view down the Nave towards the altar - a very light plain church. There are some box pews for the gentry at the front while the commoners had to sit freezing in the ordinary pews behind.
The pulpit, with its C17 Tester or sounding board so that the preachers voice was projected forward
The pipe organ is almost new. I thought I'd taken a photo of the notice on the side, which tells it's story but found later that I hadn't...Duh. But I do know it was built in the last 20 years by Peter Bumpstead who was at Stowmarket Grammar School at the same time as I was although a year older I think.
In contrast to the new organ, the door is probably as old as the doorway. It is covered with studs, nail holes and pins where notices have been affixed for 600 years!
There is much more on the Suffolk Churches Website including photos of the brasses.
Back Tomorrow
Sue
I guess you need special permission to see the actual brasses. I love the simplicity of this church.
ReplyDeletexx
I think I could have lifted the mats to look but they were quite big so I didn't really want to try
DeleteHello Sue,
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed your posts without commenting for a long time. Thank you so much for all the lovely pictures and information about your area.
I'm sorry that this first post to you is a little negative but I feel strongly that whether or not the police are able to check we should all stay at our homes as much as possible to slow the spread of this horrible virus. It is not just the people who get it who suffer it is all the others with other problems who will not get normal and emergency treatment and may die. Please don't go to the post office or vets unless it is essential. My daughter is a vet and is really worried about he number of people coming in and potentially spreading this disease to her and others. You can phone them if you are worried. Also please be careful what you post on here about going out as it can encourage others to go out unnecessarily.
Thanks again for your lovely posts. Jan
Thank you for your comment. Don't worry I have no intention of going anywhere unless I have to. As I'm on my own I have no wish to catch the virus if I can avoid it.
DeleteShutting local police stations is something that has happened all over Suffolk so it is fact that there really are almost no police around as they are mainly based in Ipswich.
My local Post Office is inside the local Co-op and I understand it will be open. I urgently need to post something to a family member. I haven't been out since last Wednesday so was planning on going for fruit anyway.
I won't be going to the vets either as it was only for a routine flu jab for the cat.
As far as I know, the post offices and vets are both on the permitted to be open list (there's a full list somewhere on the BBC news page). I shall be food shopping for my elderly parents and ourselves just once a week from now onwards. Plenty to do in the garden and hopefully as husband has been laid off for a bit, he can do some much needed decorating.
ReplyDeleteThe P.O and Co-op are the only place I will go this week I think
DeleteWelcome to the world of Lock-Down! There are bound to be some who will ignore the rules - I have spoken to a couple of people who cannot see why they themselves should have to isolate, and I get so annoyed with them! I think that police and armed forces will be needed to enforce the restrictions but they don't have the capabilities to watch over all our rural areas.
ReplyDeleteLook after yourself and stay safe, Mxx
I think it was idiots at the weekend all going out in their 1,000s to parks etc that caused the sudden Lockdown.
DeleteWe will survive!
I like the organ, and how great to have an organ maker and repairer in these modern days of technology and gadgets, we still have church organs and a man to make them. You stopped in mid flow about when the recent restoration work was so I am left hanging. Thje church apparently has wonderful resonance and sound, acoustics, and you could sing an aria and shut your eyes and think you were in Covent Garden. Perhaps that's why Peter Bumpstead did the organ for them, it is such a good church for sound. Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteOoops I see what you mean about stopping mid sentence - I've put that right.
DeleteBrundish really is one of those villages that are out in the wilds. I had no idea where I was when I started to come home until I found myself in Stradbroke.
Ah,thanks, so they must have had some recent fund raising. I rememnber when we visited churches around here P and I used to get lost. We once travelled about 10 miles to find a church, round and round little lanes, and when we found it in the end we discovered that we had only been two miles from it in the first place!
DeleteThat's such a pretty little church. I do think we are spoilt for pretty churches here. Lucky us.
ReplyDeleteWe had to be locked down, I don't think there was much choice after seeing all those idiots out and about en masse at the weekend.
At the weekend I heard and ice cream van pull up, went to look to see if anyone would be stupid enough to go, and yep, two people went. I wanted to shout at them, and the ice cream van person. There is a reason we are meant to keep away. Argh!!
Stay safe when out and about, some people still have no idea what the word 'distance' actually means.
Their are some idiots about - everyone worried about their business if self-employed. Only when the government do something about helping them will people be able to stay at home
DeleteGlad to see this wee church - that ancient door could tell some tales I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteI just wish Lock Down had started earlier, but I am guessing they were hoping to leave it even later until the world and his wife went far afield on a jolly last weekend.
I wonder if that lad you went to school with thought, I know, I'll be an organ mender!
That link on his name takes you to a programme with him talking on local radio about how he came to build and restore organs
DeleteOoh, the Troll is running out of steam as we have a shortened version today. Things are looking up!
ReplyDeleteIt was brought home to us yesterday that we are now old and vulnerable, lol, as we had a telephone call from our local Support Group and a couple of pamphlets delivered with telephone numbers etc.
There will always be stupid, irresponsible idiots around who will only think of themselves.
The troll rubbish was deleted again - a regular thing at the moment - but I don't want to slow down comments.
DeleteSadly a lot of people no longer have any common sense.
Love reading about the things you have been doing,makes life seem normal for a little while thank you
ReplyDeleteThankfully, most aspects of my life are pretty normal - at the moment - and I'm always happy at home
DeleteI wonder if pulpits are still widely used for services. I've been to a couple of churches where the Vicar just stands at the front wearing a microphone.
ReplyDeleteThere are hardly any police anywhere so I think it's a case of hoping people will be responsible. Of course, they won't be and no doubt even more rigid measures will have to be put in force. I feel sorry for the workers who are deemed essential and are crammed onto tubes like sardines. I think common sense is lacking on both sides of this coin at the moment. xx
I've not been to church or chapel where the preacher has done his sermon from the pulpit for ages. But last year when visiting a church, a lady was cleaning and dusting the pulpit specially for the Sunday preacher who actually Did use the pulpit
DeleteLock down should have happened sooner. My small village is utterly overrun with second home owners who have stripped our little village shops bare as they try to escape, while putting enormous strain on our already at breaking point NHS. All our shops have now closed, as have our banks and post office. I hope I am prepared for this, my garden may well now be brought back from the neglect of years. Stay safe, keep well.
ReplyDeleteThe same has happened in coastal resorts of Southwold and Aldeburgh which are two thirds second homes. Banks, post offices and shops still open at the moment around here
DeleteWe have the same idiocy over here. Including the one who is supposed to be our leader telling everyone it was a hoax that Democrats cooked up! Now he calls it the China virus which has resulted in hate crimes against Asian Americans. Election Day can't come soon enough. Must get him out of that White House.
ReplyDeleteI tend to avoid politics and religion on my blog so don't think there is any need for political comments - whatever you point of view - so no more please
DeleteThe M5 was chocca with camper vans and caravans last Friday coming to here in Devon and further on to Cornwall, such selfish people at this point in time. Of course in different times, we welcome holiday makers, but we are just not able to accommodate them now. This has been happening in so many places around the UK.
ReplyDeleteOn a different note, I really enjoyed your church visit. yes, it is quite an austere church, isn’t it! Although I quite like the simplicity for a change. Keep safe Sue :)
Like Ann above Sue I enjoyed the church's simplicity ( apart from that organ which is simply exquisite - would love to have a play on it).
ReplyDeleteThe brass work is beautiful and different from much that I have see previously. I especially love to see the very old doors. Thank you for showing that one.
ReplyDeleteEven when churches are still unlocked, they lock the organ. My aunt told me they used to cycle to one particular village church, go inside and play the organ.
ReplyDeleteA lovely organ, I bet that can belt out a good tune for the congregation.
ReplyDelete