One of the few thatched churches in Suffolk but the reason this church gets a mention in the 100 treasures book is because of a gravestone.
It dates from 1689 and marks the burial of William Sakings, Forkner or Falconer to Charles 1st who survived Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth to serve Charles 2nd and James 2nd .The job of Falconer was an important post at the time and records show that in 1683 Sakings was paid £25 1s 10¾d for half a year - a wealthy man.
Gt.Livermere seems a remote village, although really it's not too far from Bury St Edmunds, with flat open fields all round. The village was once part of the manor of The Duke of Grafton.
It's a very plain, but well cared for church with no stained glass.
This board which looks as if it should be outside a pub shows William Sakings with one of his birds (apologies for some poor photos - the sun was lovely but just in the wrong place!)
One of the remains of C14 wall paintings, thought to be part of a Three Living and Three Dead sequence - common in many churches as a reminder to the majority of the congregation who couldn't read. It's very faded now
In two places in the church there are these wall paintings - very faded. These are consecration crosses, where a bishop would have used holy oil to consecrate the church (if I'm understanding the description correctly)
The three decker pulpit is very unusual. The top level for the sermon, middle level for the bible reading and the lower level for the parish clerk.
The view from the altar rail back down the church, showing the rood screen
One of the more modern things in the church is this memorial to Montague Rhodes James, better known as M.R.James and best known for writing the first ghost stories. His father was Rector here.
Simon Knott on the Suffolk Churches website. wonders if the tower was perhaps unfinished, but now it's topped by a quite unusual wooden belfry
Back Tomorrow
Sue
When looking at the lectern, the first thought is, how well they crafted centuries ago. In wood or stone, many hours must have been spent.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I've seen a 3 storey pulpit before - must be unusual
DeleteObviously the sermon was lots more important than the parish clerk! I wonder if he ever felt he was not quite good enough somehow.
ReplyDeleteThey certainly made sure the Vicar could keep an eye on everyone in the church!
DeleteWhat an historic church - that gravestone just shrieks history and what a wonderful life he had, serving three different kings. The ten pence three farthings on his half-yearly wage made me smile!
ReplyDeleteI just knew there would be wall paintings. Just little echoes of them after all the white-washing over them, but they are still surviving. There was a beautiful thatched church - in Norfolk I believe - which suffered a calamitous fire a couple of weeks back.
There is a triple-decker pulpit at Disserth, where we went recently. I presume the Parish Clerk had the, ahem!, "loose-box" at the front!!
I didn't know that M R James was antiquary too but not too surprised.
I thought I was going to have to walk all round the churchyard to find the gravestone but luckily the book told me it was right by the main doors.
DeleteThe Norfolk church was a tragedy and on the local news of course. Accidentally caused by work on the building by builders is one possible cause. Will take several years to re-build
What a lovely church and I love the little scattering of odd sized niches and the 3 tier pulpit.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen so many little niches and alcoves in a church before - wonder if they once held statues or something?
DeleteThat a really lovely church, and yes, that sign would look right at home outside a pub :-)
ReplyDeleteAt first glance I thought it was a pub sign but it had more writing on it than a pub sign would have and as far as I know the village has never been big enough to have a proper pub - only a couple of hundred people live there.
DeleteI tried all sorts of ways to get a better photo but the sun just reflected everywher
When we visited you and Col all those years ago we toured round a lot of your churches - there are so many really beautiful ones - full of history.
ReplyDeleteI'm gradually working my way through the 100 in the book but there are over 700 in the county!
DeleteThat is a beautiful church. The pulpit is intriguing - very much people in their place!
ReplyDeleteThe vicar up the top keeping an eye on his congregation well below him!
DeleteAmazing
ReplyDeleteIt certainly was a lovely little church
DeleteWhat a lovely church. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteCathy
I'm enjoying my visits to churches all around Suffolk
DeleteThank you for your church posts. I love everything about them, from the large and grand to the small and crumbly. I try and imagine how the people would be dressed when they came to worship many years ago.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who grew up with Baptist and Methodist Churches and a not C of E, I'm learning so much.
DeleteA wacky coincidence - I am just now reading Murder at St. Anne's by J.R. Ellis - and he mentions and quotes your M.R. James a lot!
ReplyDeleteOh er......spooky!
DeleteI learn so much from blogs. Rood screen was new to me. I was calling it fretwork in my own ignorance.
ReplyDeleteWhat does a parish clerk do, exactly? We have a pulpit for our priest or vicar on the left. On the far right is the lectern for the reader. Did the parish clerk sit in his place during the church service? Why?
I love all those niches. They add interest to an already fascinating church. Old gravestones are so interesting to me and that one is certainly old!
ReplyDeleteA 3-story pulpit is most unusual. It reflects the leadership hierarchy in the church. The small alcoves built in to the walls are interesting too. This small church takes pride in their followers and history. I have not thought about holy oil in a long time; an uncle always had a small bottle at his home.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting church. And that a gravestone still stands from that long ago... Wow.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
An auspicious church, to me. Thank you.
ReplyDelete