This village is just off the main A14 between Stowmarket and Bury St Edmunds (or Felixstowe and the Midlands) but woodland in between and access along narrow roads that no longer connect to the main road make it very quiet. The church is small and the outside looks much as it would have done in the C14.
Inside it is very simple, no side aisles or side chapels and only a couple of stained glass windows remain. The rest were smashed, as so many were, to get rid of Catholic imagery in the mid 17th Century
A few fragments of glass were saved and put into the East window later
The font has a Green Man on one side
All the pews have carved birds and animals at each end, some original but many are later replacements
four old clappers were hung in the church as a display. These date back 300 and 400 years.
Apparently in the 1800's a visiting Bishop said the church didn't have enough seating and they were ordered to provide more. The only way this could be done was to put these narrow pews down the North and South walls of the nave.
An alcove has a lovely painting to make a WWI war memorial. Painted in 1921 by the sister of one of the parishioners
Each archway has a painted text - apologies for chopping off some of the words! and for forgetting to get better close up photos. ( This often happens when there is someone....this time it was a lady cleaning..... in the church who loves to show people round - always good to get lots of information but then I forget the photos!)
Back Soon
Sue
What a beautiful little place. I love quiet churches like that. They seem very restful. xx
ReplyDeleteA lovely church with some unusual features, thanks for ' showing us round' Sue.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
The War Memorial is beautiful and so unusual. I want to find out more about the artist. And three men all called Clarke. Were they related do you think? And is one of the kneeling men a depiction of the artist's brother?
ReplyDeleteFurther research shows the artist was the Hon. Marion Saumerez, whose family lived at the nearby Shrublands Park. She trained in Paris. In WW1 it was a convalescent hospital (like so many country houses) and she painted a picture of one of the wards. Her work is well respected. SP was owned by the same family for over 150 years. Sadly SP is now empty, and has been other market for some years. Thanks Sue for setting me off on this trail, I've loved finding it out👍
DeleteI love the font. Arilx
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy reading about these small parish country churches. I often wonder what they would look like if all the destruction had not happened. Would it be in keeping with the small parish church, or would it be overwhelming in ornate majesty?
ReplyDeleteLovely little church, it looks very peaceful. I love the saved fragments of glass and, like Rustic Pumpkin, I wonder what these churches would have looked like before the reformation.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a lovely little church, so tranquil. Thank you for the guided tour.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading about the church, and also was struck by the 3 with the last name Clarke on the war memorial. Jean in Winnipeg
ReplyDeleteStorehouses of local history, and art.
ReplyDeleteI was going to visit Tostock Church at one time - probably because it's built well away from the village and I've always liked such churches for some reason. Interesting to see mention of Marion Saumarez in one of the comments above; when I was a teenager living in Grantchester I used to deliver her evening paper.
ReplyDeleteThe intimacy of a small stone church is very appealing. It has all the basics and then some lovely history. The side pews are most unusual and work well to accommodate a once growing parish. A war memorial is a beautiful tribute. The church looks well loved and cared for.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful little church. I love that they saved a few bits of the old glass and wonder if someone did this secretly and only later brought the pieces out.--Jane
ReplyDeleteWhat a dear little church, so simple yet quite profound (it exudes a sort of peaceful reverence, I felt).
ReplyDeleteI found you! My blog got messed up and so I had to start a new one. I lost all those I was following and had to rely on my memory which at age 70 can be tough, but I did it. Took me awhile.
ReplyDeleteI used to be From my House and now the new blog is My Shasta Home.
A lovely place to visit. Lots of history in those walls.
ReplyDeleteThank you for showing this lovely church. It looks very well taken care of.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous and light filled church.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
That old fragment of stained glass is so beautifully deatailed. I am trying to imagine a whole window like that. Wow. Every religion is so convinced they are right. The damage done is heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteNot sure where my comments are going. Those little fragments of stained glass are remarkably detailed. The window, as a whole, must have been a glorious sight. The 'my religion is the only religion' folk have done a great deal of damage to our world, haven't they?
ReplyDelete