All Saints Church, South Elmham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints Church, South Elmham |
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All Saints Church, South Elmham, from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | TM 330 828 |
| Location | All Saints' South Elmham, Suffolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | All Saints |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 1 September 1953 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman, Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Flint with freestone dressings |
All Saints Church is a historic Anglican church located in the small village of All Saints' South Elmham in Suffolk, England. It's part of a group of villages known as The Saints. This church is no longer used for regular services, which means it's a "redundant church." It's a very important building, listed as a Grade I listed building because of its special history and architecture. The Churches Conservation Trust now takes care of it, making sure it's preserved for everyone to enjoy.
The church stands in a quiet, isolated spot next to Church Farm, which has a moat (a ditch filled with water) around it. All Saints Church is also special because it's one of about 40 churches in Suffolk that have a round tower.
Contents
History of All Saints Church
All Saints Church is part of the South Elmham area. This area includes nine parishes and was once known as the "liberty, manor, or township of South Elmham." It was given by King Sigeberht of the East Angles to Felix the Burgundian, his first bishop, around 630 A.D. Felix set up his main church office, called a see, in Dunwich. Many parish churches, including All Saints, were built here during Saxon times.
Changes in Ownership Over Time
During the time of King Henry VIII, the ownership of the land changed hands. In 1540, King Henry VIII made an agreement with Edward North. In exchange for land in Buckinghamshire, North received rights to the manor (a large estate) and the parish churches of Saint James, Saint Peter, Saint Margarette, Saint Nicholas, and All Saints of South Elmham.
The North family owned this land until the reign of King James I. Then, in 1613, it was sold to Sir John Tasburgh. His family kept control of the South Elmham estate until the male family line ended. The estate then passed to the Wybornes. Around 1753, William Adair, Esq bought the estate.
Church Development and Restoration
All Saints Church itself dates back to the 12th century. A south aisle (a side section of the church) was added around 1250. More changes and additions were made in the 14th, 15th, and 17th centuries. The church was "considerably restored" (meaning it had major repairs and updates) in 1870. Today, the churchyard is looked after by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, which helps protect local wildlife.
All Saints Church was often called All-Hallows. On December 8, 1737, it was joined with the parish of St. Nicholas, making a total area of 1620 acres. In 1841, the population of All Saints was 224 people.
Architecture of All Saints Church
The church is built from flint (a hard stone) with freestone (stone that can be cut easily) details. It has a lead roof. The church's layout includes a main nave (the central part where people sit) and a chancel (the area near the altar). It also has a south aisle that runs along the entire length of the nave and chancel, a south porch, and a west tower.
The Unique Round Tower
The tower has three sections and is round all the way to the top. At one point, the very top section was octagonal (eight-sided), but it was removed around 1846. The bottom section of the tower has a west Norman window, which is a style from the 11th and 12th centuries. The middle section has small, round-headed windows. The bell openings in the top section are also round-headed and have louvres (slats that let sound out but keep rain away). The top of the tower has a battlemented parapet, which looks like the top of a castle wall.
Windows and Doors
Along the north wall of the church, you can see different types of windows. There are three single-light Norman windows, three two-light windows from the 13th century, and two single-light windows from the 14th century. Some of the 14th-century windows have Perpendicular tracery (decorative stone patterns). There's also a doorway that has been blocked up. The east window has three lights. On the south wall of the aisle, there are three windows with Y-tracery, which is a pattern that looks like the letter Y. The porch is from the medieval period, but the south doorway was rebuilt in the Romanesque Revival style during the Victorian era.
Inside the Church
The arcade (a row of arches) between the nave and the south aisle was built in the 14th century. In the chancel, there is a piscina (a basin used for washing sacred vessels) in the Early English style, which has been repaired a lot.
The font (a basin for baptisms) is very old, dating back to the 12th century. It has a large square bowl with carved blank arches. It stands on a central column and four smaller columns, all on a rectangular base.
The church has a variety of benches. Two of them are from the 15th century and are carved with poppyheads (decorative carvings on the ends of benches) and animals. These benches were originally in the porch, so they show signs of weathering (damage from being exposed to the elements). Other benches, also from the 15th century, are carved only with poppyheads. The rest of the benches are copies made in the 19th century. The organ, which has a single manual (keyboard), is located at the east end of the south aisle. It was built in 1884 by Eustace Ingram.
See also
