Friday, 24 January 2025

St Mary Magdalene, Thornham Magna

 The church here is all about the Henniker family. They own the huge Thornham Estate all around the church. Much of the land is open to the public with Thornham Walks being a well known part of the estate for over 40 years.

I was pleased to see the little Church Open sign hanging on the side of the new Lych gate


 



Large and ornate porch


The  church has many stained glass windows, even in the porch - the one below


The text over the door


I liked the intricate door handle


The view down the nave, with the Christmas tree and nativity set still out



Many memorial stained glass windows for various members of the Henniker families in the past







The church seems to have two pulpits - I don't think this one below is used





This pulpit is the one that's in use



Several corbels of faces in the chancel roof





The church still has it's rood screen, with Christmas decorations




This ornate memorial to one of the Henniker family


Memorials go from pre Victorian right up to C20









A very Victorian church - more information here on the Suffolk Churches Website


Back in a few days
Sue


16 comments:

  1. I love the pre-Raphaelite windows. Thank you for the link which is very informative

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  2. A beautiful church, inside and out. Fabulous stained glass and monuments too.

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  3. Lovely church with beautiful windows. Interesting to see the Christmas decorations still up. The main Plymouth hospital still has the nativity scene in place near the chapel with a little note on it which reads that it will be left in place until Candlemas (Feb 2nd) and commemorates the presentation of Jesus at the Temple by Joseph and Mary. I had not heard of this tradition before.

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  4. It was interesting to read the link you provided. The stained glass is prolific and detailed. I don't recall seeing so much green elsewhere, but maybe I'm mistaken.

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  5. What a lovely church inside and out. I love how you always focus on the interesting details that are not apparent in the bigger photos. Thank you. Catriona

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  6. Always wanted to visit England… so much history to explore. Thanks for your church tours. I enjoy them. Cali

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  7. Beautiful church. The stained glass and woodwork are extensive. Two pulpits are unusual to me. I wonder why there was a need for two. The entry gate makes a wonderful path to the church.

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  8. That looks like a beautiful place to worship. Thank you for sharing.

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  9. Gorgeous stained glass. Thank you for taking us along on your visit.

    God bless.

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  10. How beautiful! I am and atheist who loves church architecture and decoration. In the US, so many of the older and well-crafted churches have been lost. So lucky this one and so many others are available to you.

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  11. The stained glass is just gorgeous, and I'm glad you were able to show us the church with all the Christmas finery in place. I have a question though. I've tried to make it out and cannot. What does the engraved words above the door say?

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  12. I love visiting churches, especially those in smaller towns. It's amazing how beautiful they are. (In England they are so much older than here!) I love that glass -- your photos are beautiful. I always read the memorial plaques. And I love how they put the nativity on the baptismal font. This one is a gem.

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  13. What a beautiful church. It is very similar to the one I used to attend when I was younger. I do find churches that have many memorials to one particular family strange though. I know they would have donated funds and paid salaries at some stage so the memorial windows and plaques are as a result of that, but it always makes me wonder about other people who lived at the same time as those memorialised, were they not worthy of mention too? Anyway, it’s a great church.

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  14. Lovely interesting photos Sue thank you. I only live a few miles away but have never found the church open. Perhaps the smaller pulpit was to aid a disabled vicar? Unusual to see a rood screen.

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  15. That is very interesting seeing the two pulpits.
    That would not be uncommon in a Scottish Presbyterian church, where the second, lower one probably, would have been used by the precentor to lead the psalm singing, given that there is no other music. J’nan

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  16. Thanks for the church tour. I love the stained glass windows!

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