St Andrew's Church, Sapiston facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Andrew's Church, Sapiston
St Andrew's Church, Sapiston, from the south
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OS grid reference	TL 921 743
Location	Sapiston, Suffolk
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Churches Conservation Trust
Architecture
Functional status	Redundant
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	14 July 1955
Architectural type	Church
Style	Norman, Gothic
Specifications
Materials	Flint, with some ragstone Tiled roofs

St Andrew's Church is an old church in the village of Sapiston, Suffolk, England. It is no longer used for regular church services. This church is very important, so it is protected as a Grade I listed building. This means it is a building of special historical interest. The Churches Conservation Trust looks after it.

The church is found at the end of a small path south of the village. It is next to Grange Farm and close to a stream called the Black Bourne. This church once served a village that is now empty, known as a deserted medieval village.

History of St Andrew's Church

The oldest part of St Andrew's Church is the south doorway. It was built in the 12th century, during the Norman period. The rest of the main part of the church, called the nave, and the chancel (the area around the altar), and the tower were built later in the 14th century.

The church was repaired and updated in 1847. This type of repair is often called a Victorian restoration. In 1972, the church's area, or parish, was joined with a nearby village called Honington. Two years later, in 1974, St Andrew's Church was no longer needed for regular services. It was then given to the Redundant Churches Fund, which is now known as the Churches Conservation Trust.

What the Church Looks Like

Outside the Church

St Andrew's Church is built mostly from flint stones, with some ragstone. Its roofs are steep and covered with tiles. The church has a main hall called a nave, a porch on the south side, a chancel at the east end, and a tower on the west side.

The tower has three levels, separated by stone lines called string courses. It does not have buttresses (supports on the outside walls). The top of the tower has a battlement (a wall with gaps for defense). The top level of the tower has two-light bell openings. These are windows with two parts, often with stone patterns called Y-tracery.

The south porch was added in the 15th century. It has a simple doorway and two two-light windows on each side. The floor of the porch is made from old medieval coffin lids.

The main south doorway is from the 12th century. It has round arches decorated with acanthus leaves. This type of decoration is quite rare in Suffolk. Above the arch, there is a stone carving of a face, likely a human one. Along the south wall of the church, there are several windows. Some have Y-tracery, and one has a Tudor arch. The east window of the chancel has three lights with a net-like stone pattern called reticulated tracery.

Inside the Church

Inside the church, on the north wall of the nave, you can see parts of an Easter Sepulchre. This was a special arched space used during Easter. Above it, there are faint traces of a wall painting. This painting shows the story of Saint Edmund, who was a king and a martyr.

Around the walls, there are old wooden benches. Two of these benches are smaller and have lower seats. These were probably made for children. The font, used for baptisms, is octagonal (eight-sided) and dates from the 13th century. It is quite plain and has a damaged cover from the Jacobean period.

In the chancel, there is a piscina, which is a basin used for washing sacred vessels. It has an ogee head, which is a curved shape. There is also a window in the south wall that has been blocked up. The church has a special memorial for Robert Bloomfield, a local poet. You can also see the royal arms of King George II. The church once had four bells, but they are no longer hanging. Three of them are dated 1591, 1608, and 1730.

Images for kids

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  St Andrew's Church, Sapiston, from the south