All Saints Church, Ellough facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints Church, Ellough |
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All Saints Church, Ellough, from the south
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| OS grid reference | TM 443 866 |
| Location | Ellough, Suffolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 1 September 1953 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 14th century |
| Closed | 1970s |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Flint with stone dressings |
All Saints Church is a very old Anglican church in a quiet village called Ellough, in Suffolk, England. It's a special building because it's been around since the 1300s! Today, it's looked after by a group called the Churches Conservation Trust, which helps protect old churches. This church is considered a "redundant church," meaning it's no longer used for regular services, but it's kept safe and sound for everyone to visit. You can find it on a small hill, about 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the town of Beccles. It's so important that it's listed as a Grade I building, which is the highest level of protection for historic places in England.
Contents
History of All Saints Church
Building the Church and Early Changes
The main part of All Saints Church was built in the 14th century, which means the 1300s! Imagine how many years it has stood there. Later, in 1602, a porch was added to the south side of the church. A man named Thomas Love paid for this addition.
In 1643, some changes happened inside the church. A strict religious leader named William Dowling visited and had the wall paintings removed. This was common during that time due to changing religious beliefs.
Later Years and Restoration
In the 18th century, land from a nearby church, St Marys in Willingham St Mary, was combined with Ellough. You can even see the old site of St Marys from All Saints Church!
The church got a big makeover in 1882. This was part of a common trend called "Victorian restoration," where old churches were updated. A famous architect named William Butterfield led this work, and he even replaced the east window. In the 1970s, All Saints Church was mostly closed for regular services, but it still holds special events sometimes.
Important People Connected to the Church
A man named Richard Aldous Arnold became the rector (the main priest) of Ellough in 1830. He stayed in this job for more than 60 years! His sons, William Munnings Arnold (who became a politician in Australia) and Frederick Arnold (a famous rower), were both born in Ellough. You can find special memorials to Richard Arnold and his wife on the south wall inside the church. Richard Arnold is also known for building the parsonage (the rector's house) right next to the church around 1830. This house is also a protected historic building.
Architecture of All Saints Church
What the Church is Made Of
All Saints Church is built mostly from flint stones, which are common in this part of England. It also has stone details around the windows and doors. The main part of the church, called the nave, has a smooth, plastered (or "rendered") finish. The roofs are covered with a material that looks like felt.
Layout and Features
The church has a simple layout. It has a nave (the main area where people sit), a chancel (the area near the altar), a porch on the south side, and a tower on the west side. There's also a small room on the north side that used to hold an organ.
The tower is from the 14th century and doesn't have big supports called "buttresses." It has openings for bells with special Y-shaped stone patterns called "tracery." The top of the tower is flat. The windows in the nave are from the 15th century and have two sections. The old north doorway is now blocked up, and the south doorway and porch were added in the 19th century. The chancel has two-section windows on its sides, and the large east window, which has three sections, was added in the 19th century.
Inside the Church
Inside All Saints Church, you can find some very old features. There's a piscina from the 14th century, which is a stone basin used for washing sacred vessels. You'll also see a sedilia, which are stone seats built into the wall, usually for the clergy. The stairs that once led to a "rood loft" (a gallery above the entrance to the chancel) are still there.
The baptismal font, where baptisms take place, is from the 15th century. It's shaped like an octagon, and its bowl is carved with shields and flowers. The beautiful screen behind the altar, called the reredos, and the ceiling in the chancel were both designed by the architect William Butterfield. You can also see two special metal plaques called "brasses" in the sanctuary (the area around the altar), and a large stone slab from the mid-18th century in the chancel. Many of the church's original fittings have been removed over time.
See also
