Thursday, 10 October 2024

St Mary's, Rickinghall Superior

 This is another Suffolk Church in the care of the The Churches Conservation Trust.

I'd stopped here once before when I passed and found it closed so it was good to see the Church Open board outside. The knapped flint flushwork is incredible.







Inside the church is a large almost empty space, with its old movable benches - they are very unusual. Simon Knott on the Suffolk Churches Index wonders what it was like when it was in use and what was removed.



The font is substantially solid


The wooden ceiling of the chancel 


There are two lovely stained glass windows. This first window commemorates a young man from the village, Samuel Speare, who went off to be a missionary but came back when he became ill. More details on the Churches site.



I've been to the Farmers Market in the village hall in the main part of Rickinghall village but not to the other church there so I shall remedy that soon.



Back Soon
Sue

15 comments:

  1. The wooden ceiling is impressive and I think the stained glass is beautiful.

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  2. Certainly no comfort on those benches. The mind would be sharply focused on the sermon I would think!

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    1. The benches are quite unusual I think - not sure how long they've been there

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  3. Thank you for a visit to yet another lovely Suffolk church. Such beautiful stained glass. Sad that Samuel died so young,

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    1. I was pleased to see the open sign as there's nothing worse than taking a photo of the outside and then finding the door locked

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  4. Love the way they call the church "superior!" :)

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    1. I'm going to Rickinghall Inferior soon - but the church there is definitely not inferior and still in use

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  5. The stained glass is quite lovely. The font is beautifully carved and the wooden roof quite remarkable.

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    1. The font looks very solid - been there a long time I think

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  6. That is beautifully simple, and I should imagine would be very expensive to get warm if it did still hold services. Imagine how lovely that would be at Christmas with holly and simple decorations. It is definitely superior.

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    1. I was surprised at how empty it was - sort of desolate.

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  7. I love those benches - so classy, but as someone else has said, probably not comfortable!
    Alison in Wales x

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    1. No - would need lots of praying for the sermon to be short I think!

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  8. That church looks very plain inside, no wall decorations, statues or plaques? The stained glass windows are beautiful though, as is the wooden ceiling. Don't think I've seen one like that before. I wonder how many churches are unused nowadays.

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