To reach Chelsworth church you have to walk through the front garden of a lovely old house
Very pleased to see some people at the door as it meant the church was open and there were two people inside doing a big clean before Remembrance Sunday service.
Chelsworth church is unusual in being cement rendered on the outside, inside was Victorianised but more recent changes moved the beautiful organ up so that a kitchen and toilet could be built underneath at the base of the tower.
Grade 1 listed All Saints Church in Chelsworth has just completed an amazing £330,000 project to make it a valuable community centre whilst retaining its important role as a place of worship. The Church lies in the heart of pretty Chelsworth (population 120) and is now providing a venue for meetings, film shows, concerts etc.
Note the flintwork structure on the north wall - it's the outside canopy of a huge tomb inside.
The man inside was very knowledgeable about everything, he said the font was much older than the church building and might have been in the previous church that is mentioned in the Doomsday Book or brought here from elsewhere.
The door to the vestry, which was the South porch, is usually locked but I was lucky to go inside to see these very old pieces of stained glass. They were found wrapped in a cloth and buried on neighbouring land and date from 1657. This was probably when the puritans came along smashing windows.
This is the inside part of the tomb which might have been moved here from elsewhere in the church as it looks as if the windows have been altered. It's probably for Sir John Philbert and dates from 1334
Another very special thing in this church is the doom painting over the chancel arch. The Victorians decided to repaint it in the C19 which did it no good at all and the present church users are trying to raise more funds so it can be restored properly
Traditional colourful stained glass but the last one photographed is C20 and very pale
This is the organ up high above the new kitchen with new small wall paintings each side.
Back Soon
Sue
Another lovely church visits. I like the stained glass windows.
ReplyDeleteGlorious colours on a dull day
DeleteWhat an interesting church, with a much earlier font. I am so glad that they saved some of the early Medieval stained glass and it is back in situ. I have no time for the Puritans! I hope that they can raise the money to get the Doom painting properly restored.
ReplyDeleteI've been in several churches where the font predates the current church. I guess they were hard to destroy or move far
DeleteOne wonders why the person who buried the glass window didn't recover it once it was okay to do so. Some of these old mysteries we will never know the answer to :)
ReplyDeleteChurches hold so many mysteries.
DeleteThankyou for another interesting post. I’m amazed at the quality of your interior photos on what looks like rather a gloomy day. You must have a good camera! Julie
ReplyDeleteThe lights were all on inside as people were cleaning which helped, the camera is on auto so sometimes adjusts itself to get a better photo
DeleteSuch an interesting church, thank you for having us tag along. And I love the autumnal tree on your Header.
ReplyDeleteA glorious bit of colour in my otherwise dull garden
DeleteHow good you found a local chap already there to explain things. And t thoroughly approve of installing a loo and a kitchenette to make the building more useful for the community
ReplyDeleteThe church is now used for so many things and much bigger than their little village hall
DeleteDo you find it more difficult or easier to photograph the less colourful stained glass? The light levels must vary considerably but you certainly seem to have a good handle on it, whichever it be.
ReplyDeleteNot sure I'd be happy with the path to the church going through my garden!
I just let the camera sort things out and leave it on auto!
DeleteIt must be odd to have strangers walking by - I guess the house has been there a very long time
I am amazed at how small the village is, not much more than a hamlet, really.
ReplyDeleteIts a very pretty village but a busy road running through, lots of thatched cottages etc
DeleteI have always loved the way that your old churches have the tombs inside the church. I've never seen that here, even in our oldest churches. But that juxtaposition between old and new was always moving to me. It underscores the word 'eternity', doesn't it? The people of the present walk past the tombs of the ancient to celebrate the baptisms of those who will be the future of the church.
ReplyDeleteChurches always feel as if they have been there forever and will go on forever. Special places
DeleteSuch a beautiful church supporting the community in many ways.
ReplyDeleteUS churches have Sunday/Saturday services, meal, and holiday events but are generally not utilized as community centers. You are fortunate to have the National Trust protecting UK historic churches. There is no such protection in the US. Old churches have been sold off or torn down to build new structures, and usually not a church.
It would be very unusual for a church to be demolished here but small non Church of England Churches are often turned into homes.
DeleteI just love visiting all the churches you show us. Thanks for taking us along.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.