St Mary's Church, Kersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Kersey |
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St Mary's Church, Kersey
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| 52°3′27.21″N 0°55′9.16″W / 52.0575583°N 0.9192111°W | |
| Location | Kersey, Suffolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Specifications | |
| Bells | 8 |
| Tenor bell weight | 14 long cwt 2 qr 2 lb (1,626 lb or 738 kg) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Kersey |
| Deanery | Hadleigh |
| Archdeaconry | Ipswich |
| Diocese | Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich |
St Mary's Church is a historic church located in Kersey, Suffolk, England. It belongs to the Church of England and is recognized as a Grade I listed building. This means it's a very important historical site!
Contents
The Shrine and Its Story
A Place of Pilgrimage
Long ago, in Medieval times, St Mary's Church was a very important place. It had a special area called a shrine that took up the entire north side of the church. People would travel from far away to visit this shrine. Even when King Henry VIII closed many religious sites, this shrine survived. However, it was later destroyed around the time of the English Civil War.
Rebirth of the Shrine
On March 8, 2020, the shrine was brought back to life and blessed again. You can find more information about it on the church's website. Today, the re-hallowed shrine and church host many fun events. These include jazz evenings, classical music concerts, film nights, and dances.
The "Thank God Church"
St Mary's Church has a cool nickname: the "Thank God Church." This name comes from a true story during World War II. The Royal Air Force (RAF) placed two powerful searchlights in the churchyard. These lights lit up the church tower, helping pilots find their way home in the dark.
One night, a bomber plane was returning from a mission over Germany. It was attacked, and its navigation tools were broken. The plane was running out of fuel, and the crew didn't know where they were. Suddenly, they saw the illuminated church tower! This helped them figure out their location and land safely at a nearby airfield. Sadly, the tail gunner died in a fire on the plane. A crew member, Leading Aircraftman Dougie Vince, badly burned his hand fighting the flames. The church tower saved the rest of the crew, earning it its special name.
Church History
The oldest parts of St Mary's Church were built in the 1100s. A major rebuilding project began around 1335 with the north side of the church, which was connected to the main part (the nave) by arches.
Work then started on the church tower. However, it was delayed by the terrible Black Death in 1349, a widespread illness that affected many people. The tower was finally finished in 1481. After that, the north and south entrances (called porches) were added.
Looking at the Church
Outside the Church
The church is built from flint (a hard stone) and other stones. It stands on high ground, looking over the village. The tower, completed in 1481, has four levels. It features strong corner supports called buttresses and a decorative top edge called a parapet with a checkerboard pattern made of flint. There's also an eight-sided staircase tower. The south porch has two sections with buttresses that rise to pointed decorations called pinnacles. The north porch is similar but simpler.
Inside the Church
Inside, the ceiling has beautifully carved wooden beams and panels. The roof over the main part of the church (the nave) uses a special design with hammer beams and tie beams that meet in the middle.
The church has two baptismal fonts (large basins for baptisms): one from the 1100s and another from the 1400s. There's also a reading stand (lectern) and a screen separating the main church from the altar area (chancel screen), both from the 1400s. The north side of the church has a stone carving (frieze) that has been damaged over time.
The chancel, the area near the altar, was rebuilt in 1862 by King's College, Cambridge. A small room called a vestry was added in the northeast corner.
Inside the Church: Special Features
The Organ
St Mary's Church has a pipe organ built by Bishop & Son, a company from Ipswich and London. This organ was moved in 2012-2013 to make space for a kitchen and toilets at the back of the north side of the church.
The Tower Bells
The church tower is home to a community book exchange, where people can share and find over a hundred books. This resource was very popular during the Covid pandemic. Weddings and funerals often use the main west doors, which were built in the 1400s. You might notice that the tower, the main part of the church, and the chancel are not perfectly lined up. The tower holds eight bells.
The Rood Screen
The church is famous for still having a small part of its medieval rood screen. A rood screen was a decorative wooden or stone screen that separated the nave from the chancel. This piece was found on a local farm and fixed up. The panels on the screen show pictures of saints and kings. One of the kings shown is Edmund the Martyr, holding an arrow.
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A section of the rood screen.
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Another view of the rood screen.
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Close-up of the rood screen details.
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Church Community
St Mary's Church is part of a group of churches called a benefice. This group includes four other churches:
- St Mary's Church, Aldham
- St Peter's Church, Elmsett
- St Nicholas' Church, Hintlesham
- All Saints and St Margaret's Church, Chattisham
