St Mary's Church, Bungay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Bungay |
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St Mary's Church, Bungay, from the west
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| OS grid reference | TM 337 898 |
| Location | Bungay, Suffolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 9 May 1949 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Perpendicular Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Flint and stone |
St Mary's Church is an old Anglican church located in the town of Bungay, Suffolk, England. It is no longer used for regular church services. The church building and the nearby ruins of a priory are very important. They are listed as a Grade I historic building in the National Heritage List for England. This means they are protected and cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust. You can find the church right in the middle of Bungay, on St Mary's Street, which is also the A144 road.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
St Mary's was first built as the church for a Benedictine priory. A priory is like a monastery, where monks or nuns live and pray. This priory was started in the late 1100s. However, most of the church you see today was built much later, between the 1300s and 1400s.
The Domesday Book, a very old record from 1086, mentions a church in Bungay. It was called the Church of the Holy Cross. People believe that St Mary's Church stands on the same spot as an even older Saxon church.
In 1536, the priory was closed down. This happened during a time called the dissolution of the monasteries, when many religious houses in England were shut. After this, St Mary's became a regular parish church for the local community. A grammar school was even set up in one of the priory's old chapels.
Fires and Repairs
In 1577, something dramatic happened: the church was hit by lightning! This event led to a famous local story known as the "Legend of the Black Dog."
Later, in 1688, a big fire swept through Bungay town and damaged the church. The roof of the south side of the church and some of its inside parts, like benches, were burned. Luckily, the main roof of the church was not damaged. The south roof was fixed in 1699, and the church was fully open again by 1701.
In 1879, the church tower was repaired. The rest of the church also got a big update, costing about £3,000 at the time. This kind of update is often called a Victorian restoration.
Over the 1900s, fewer people attended the church. Because of this, it was decided that the church was no longer needed for regular services. Now, a group called The Friends of St Mary's helps to keep the church clean. They also organize concerts and other events there.
Church Design and Features
Outside the Church
St Mary's Church is built using flint and stone. It is designed in the Perpendicular Gothic style, which was popular in England during the late Middle Ages. The church has a main area called a nave, with high windows called a clerestory. It also has north and south aisles, which are like side sections.
The church tower stands at the west end of the south aisle. It is very tall, about 110 feet (33.5 meters) high. On top of the tower are four tall, pointed decorations called pinnacles. Unlike many churches, St Mary's does not have a separate chancel area at the east end. In the churchyard, to the east of the church, you can still see the ruined parts of the old priory.
Inside the Church
Inside, the church has rows of arches, called arcades. These arches are held up by five columns made of several smaller columns joined together. The large window at the west end of the church is very impressive. It has complex patterns of stone bars, called tracery, in its upper part.
Look up at the roof, and you'll see carved decorations called bosses. These carvings show all sorts of things, like angels, a lion, two-headed eagles, and even a bat! Near the entrance, there's a special cupboard called a dole cupboard. It's carved with a rat. In the past, bread was put in this cupboard to be given to people who were poor.
Part of the church has been made into a War Memorial Chapel. In this chapel, there is a beautiful 1600s wooden panel from Flanders. It shows the Resurrection of Jesus. This panel was given to the church by the famous author H. Rider Haggard.
The church also has an organ with two keyboards, called manuals. It was built by E. W. Norman and later moved to the church from another building in Bungay. It was rebuilt again in 1961. The church has a set of eight bells. All of them were made in 1820 by Thomas Mears II at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.
The Legend of the Black Dog
The "Legend of the Black Dog" is a famous story connected to St Mary's Church. It began on Sunday, August 4, 1577, when lightning struck the church during a thunderstorm. According to the legend, a terrifying black dog, like a ghostly dog, appeared inside the church. It ran around, attacking people in the congregation.
Then, just as suddenly, the dog vanished. It reappeared about 12 miles (19 kilometers) away at Holy Trinity Church, Blythburgh, where it also injured people. This mysterious dog is often linked to Black Shuck, a legendary ghostly dog said to haunt the coasts of Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, and Suffolk.
The image of the Black Dog is so important to Bungay that it has been included in the town's coat of arms. It has also been used in the names of many businesses and groups connected to Bungay.
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