Three fascinating Suffolk churches (two ‘off the beaten track’) and a warm sunny May day… what a lovely way to spend a few hours.
The annual Spring Field Day for the Friends of Suffolk Historic Churches Trust was organised again by Trustee Jamie Norman, and it took us to Bures, Wissington and Stoke By Nayland.
Driving through a farmyard and down a long track took us to St Stephen’s, a small manorial Chapel on land belonging to Geffrey Probert, the Chairman of the Trust. He explained how, in 1215, Gilbert de Tani was given permission from Canterbury to build a private chapel, – possibly replacing the previous wooden one, as long as it didn’t compete with the local parish church. It was consecrated by Stephen Langton the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1218. it is, we think, the only surviving manorial Chapel in Suffolk (the many others were in the post-Reformation destruction of the mid 16th century). The custodian of the church is the landowner and is responsible for its upkeep.
Over the years the partially thatched building has been used as a plague house, as farm-workers cottages and, for over 400 years, as a barn. In the 20th century Geoffrey’s Great Aunt purchased it back, and in the 1930’s it was restored as a church. Inheriting the main house, land and church, Geoffrey is now St Stephen’s proud custodian.
Describing some of the events in the chapel’s long history he told us how oral tradition has it that St Edmund, King and Martyr, the first Patron Saint of England, was crowned at the site in 855AD, the location identified from medieval writings.
The stone tombs of the De Veres, the Earls of Oxford, that now take up most of the nave, were rescued from the gardens of Earls Colne Priory, (which the De Veres owned after the Dissolution of the Monasteries) and were brought to Bures by ox and carts to be reassembled in the 1930’s.
The chapel is still used for an annual summer service and a Christmas service, but any denomination can hold services there and these have previously included Greek Orthodox and Catholic worship.
Driving on, we came to the village of Wissington and, down a narrow lane (there is a parking area for visitors to the church on the left, halfway down), a public footpath leads to the Wissington Hall estate and to St Mary the Virgin, a Norman church. Our guide here was Rosemary Knox the church historian.
In 1832 the church was restored to his designs, including many ‘Norman’ features, by Rev Charles Birch in line with the ideas prevalent in Victorian times,. The porch and oak door are an exact copy of the medieval one but entering the church, what strikes you most are the genuine 13th century wall paintings of Bible stories, and the 14th century painting of a ferocious dragon. Like many such church wall paintings, they were painted over – in this case twice- during the church’s history, only to be discovered during renovations.
Our final church to explore was one that stands majestically on the hill overlooking the Dedham Vale, an impressive sight with its 120 ft tower, seen as you drive up the hill …and a very large church for a village of its size. Grade One listed, 15thcentury St Mary’s, Stoke By Nayland, was often painted by John Constable, It is another church that was restored in Victorian times but since has had to have remedial work (over £1m so far) rectifying previous incorrect repairs – and the current scaffolding shows the work is continuing. (The Suffolk Historic Churches Trust has helped with grants.)
Built on an Anglo-Saxon plan, in 946AD a priory once stood on the site and St Mary’s itself was built in 1300, but has been restyled over the years and is now a Perpendicular design.
Our guide, Capt Richard Channon, after telling us about the restoration challenges they faced, showed us the fascinating medieval oak door carved with multiple angels, apostles etc, and the two-storey porch that has the parish library in the upper part. Inside the church, the West tower arch is enormous, stretching to roof level.
The unusual carved font has four raised steps, one each side, so the priest, parent and godparents can all stand around the baby being baptised, and dates from 1508.
The church has impressive 17th century marble monuments and brasses, in memory of the Mannicks of Gifford Hall and the alabaster figures of Ann, Lady Windsor and her kneeling daughters and son, date from 1615.
The brightly coloured Victorian stained glass windows flood the chancel with light, and there is one medieval window, ‘inexpertly restored in 1865’.
The fundraising continues.
Eating our picnics on the benches outside St Mary’s, we chatted and agreed it was a very successful day with knowledgeable guides giving us a glimpse into the history of three lovely, but very different, churches and the communities they served in the past and today.
