This church appears in the 100 treasures in Suffolk Churches book because of something that's just across the road from the church.
It's a memorial from 1935. The sun was the wrong way for a good photo but if you scroll down the page I've copied some bits from the website with a better photo and all the information about the tithe war that was just one of many between church and farmers at that time.
Elmsett St Peter's is a typical small village church. It sits right at the edge of the modern day village above a valley in South Suffolk.
The wood on the porch is ancient it dates from C13
With an equally or even older door. People have been entering the church this way for more than 700 years!
As it was not long after Remembrance Sunday there were poppies on the font
and on the pulpit which dates from the early C17 and was moved here from St Mary-at-Quay, Ipswich
Memorial to Edward Sherland in the chancel dates to 1609. There's a scythe and an hourglass and two skulls all symbols of death
The organ sits up above the Nave on a balcony
More about the church on Simon Knott's Suffolk Churches website HERE
Connected to the tithe wars his mention of the Suffolk fascists was all news to me......." It is salutary for us to recall that the tithe
controversy has lingered well into the collective folk
memory of modern Suffolk. This part of East Anglia gave
strong support to the British Union of Fascists in the
1930s, who were vocal in their support for the tithe
rebels. George Orwell documented the struggle in his
novel A Clergyman's Daughter. A fascist
councillor was elected by the tithe protesters at Eye
and, in 1936, massed lines of police confronted fascist
blackshirt thugs protesting against the tithe system
outside Wortham Rectory. Hard to imagine, now.
Interesting history. When they talk about corn as a crop, are they actually referring to wheat or is it actual maize/corn? Also, the name Sudbury jumped out at me as I have recently visited Concord, Massachussetts , USA and there was a Sudbury river there. An area of early settlement by the Puritans.
ReplyDeleteThey mean wheat or maybe Barley - often given the name corn when talked about. Not Maize, that's a crop probably not known about here in the 30's - grown here now mainly for animal feed
DeleteMaize is now grown for power stations. Big business throughout Norfolk and Suffolk.
DeleteFascinating story Sue, I never knew that tithes for the church went on so late. There was obviously a feeling of just anger amongst the people at this unfair tax.
ReplyDeleteThe 30's were a bad time for farming. In a way the war saved them as suddenly food became important again.
DeleteWhat a fascinating post. A piece of important history which has been forgotten (although locally it would seem it lingers in the memory).
ReplyDeleteHistory is so important - it is what makes a landscape and buildings come alive. I've just checked, and yes, we had uprisings in Wales too - Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and particularly Denbighshire. NOW I understand the relevance of the 1840 Tithe Maps! Welsh farmers were on the whole Nonconformist and supported their own church, so were particularly peeved and upset at having to pay the ANGLICAN church the tithes. https://www.peoplescollection.wales/content/welsh-tithe-war
The same here = the Big farmers would have been Anglican but the smaller farmers would go to the village Baptist or Methodist churches.
DeleteI forgot to say what a lovely and interesting church that was too. Ido enjoy "visiting" them with you.
DeleteWe had a three sided altar rail in St Peter’s church in Shaftesbury until a few years ago. I had never come across one anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteVery unusual but strange I find two in the same area within a couple of weeks
DeleteLovely churches and they certainly look that they are used well.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what was in the space by the windows.
Hazel 🌈🌈
It was very neat and tidy and lots of knitted poppies!
DeleteYour posts are so informative and interesting! I feel I learn so much from you, Sue. Unlike my posts hahahaha!! And you take beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteI do anything to fill a blog post!
As Bovey Belle states "What a fascinating post. A piece of important history which has been forgotten (although locally it would seem it lingers in the memory)" Although not a religious man, well apart from the odd Norse god (no not the marvel type), church buildings and history does cause me time to pause and reflect upon them.
ReplyDeleteI've learned so much by visiting the churches as I'm not a church goer - always gone to Baptist and Methodist chapels in the past
DeleteMy first husband was once almost moved to Eye with his job - I would have quite liked to live there as it is such a lovely area.
ReplyDeleteIt's just up the road from me - although there is another, bigger Eye in Cambridgeshire near Peterborough
DeleteThere are many Sudburys - Suffolk Uk, Derbyshire, Uk, Ontario, Canada, Mass, US, Vermont, Us, and probably more
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you are right
DeleteThis is such an interesting church along with an equally interesting history. That door is magnificent!
ReplyDeleteMy great grandfather was involved in the tithe wars. As well as the financial hardship, he was a Quaker and saw no reason to have a tenth of his income going to the Anglican church.
ReplyDeleteI love your church visit posts. Such wonderful history you are sharing with us all.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Tithe wars are new to me. I find it interesting how churches accumulate wealth. Churches in the US pay no tax. Parishioners are obligated to donate money. Churches make a donation (of their choice) to the town/city government where they reside. (Private schools do the same.) Often town/city government suggest a donation; e.g., fund purchase of a new fire engine.
ReplyDeleteThe Tithe Wars certainly don't cast the Established church in a good light, do they. There must have been a relationship between social class, money and 'religion' ... which seems to me to have very little to do with the what should be the "mission" - looking after people in need...
ReplyDeleteI saw a television programme about the Tithe Wars and that stone featured. It seems the churches did VERY well out of it for years while their parishioners went hungry.
ReplyDelete