Tuesday, 23 September 2025

Wenhaston St Peter

 This is one of the churches that's featured in the '100 Treasures in 100 Suffolk Churches' book that started this whole church visiting thing.


It's the Doom painting that is the quite spectacular treasure here.

Doom paintings were once common, and would have been over or under the Chancel Arch showing the Judgement Day for all the congregation to see.

This is thought to have been painted around 1500 by a monk from Blythburgh Priory - just a few miles away.

There is lots of information about the Doom in the church but I found this youtube video which describes it better than I can.



Information about the finding of the doom from a history feature the local newspaper



More information about the Doom painting.


View down the Nave to East window and altar showing where the doom painting would have been situated under the chancel arch.


Stained glass in the East window


There are a couple of large memorials each side of the altar for the Leman family in the C18


Coat of Arms for the King of the time would have replaced the doom over the chancel arch. This is for George III from the C18 



The font would have been carved and painted on each side, just a little colour remains at the foot of the pedestal


This stoup or stone bowl that would have held holy water for the congregation to use on the way into church.


I had to take a photo of this huge Holly tree on my way out as it was absolutely covered with berries.


Here is the link to Simon Knotts Suffolk Churches website for more photos and information.

Back Soon



20 comments:

  1. I enjoy your photos and commentary of the churches you visit. They are amazing structures. It is fascinating for me to sit in one and ponder the people who built it, decorated it, and worshipped there through the centuries, and those who still take time to care for it and worship.

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    1. I've found it very interesting to learn about all the churches I've visited

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  2. Wow! I can see why that one got into the book. Just amazing that the Doom screen survived (thank heavens it rained). The video you included was so interesting too. The painted font is a rare beast. Just goes to show that churches really did have SO much colour in the past. Not the plain white interiors we are used to today.

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  3. The Doom video was interesting - sheer chance that rain revealed the painting.

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    1. Makes me wonder what other things were thrown away from other churches in the last few hundred years

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  4. Thank you for sharing. We spent a year church crawling Doom paintings in and around West Sussex; fascinating. Have you read JL Carr 'A month in the country '? Uncovering a medieval wall painting is central to the story. There is a film with Kenneth Branagh but I haven't watched it.

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    1. Yes I've read the book, don't think I knew about the film - I'll investigate

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  5. Thanks for this - video was very interesting.

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  6. Another fascinating church, and this one yielding up its treasures in an unexpected way!
    Alison in Devon x

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  7. Fascinating church and the Doom painting is quite amazing. Judgement day depicted in a painting is remarkable. To think the painting was saved by the sheer chance of rain. The video you provided was outstanding.
    Thank you for a lovely post.

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    1. I'm glad the video worked - never sure if they will for another country

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  8. What a lovely church! I really like the view down the Nave to the East window. That Holly tree is beautiful!

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    1. The Holly is huge and so many berries - although they don't show up well in the photo

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  9. Another good year for berries, they are plentiful here in Cheltenham and so many conkers falling off the trees down the Promenade. I especially like the painted wooden panel and stone bowl in this church.

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  10. I have never heard of a Doom painting, so fascinating.

    God bless.

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  11. I had never heard of a Doom Painting. What an amazingly lucky discovery! Thanks for this!

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  12. Thank you for this church tour and the wonderful story of the Doom painting's rescue.

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