St Mary's Church, Ickworth facts for kids
Ickworth Church, also known as St Mary's Church, Ickworth, is an old church in Ickworth Park. You can find it near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, England. It used to be a church for the local village.
Church History
The church is very close to Ickworth House, a large estate now cared for by the National Trust. The village of Ickworth no longer exists. Over time, the church mainly served the people who lived and worked at Ickworth House. It also became the main burial place for the Hervey family. This family owned Ickworth from the mid-1400s until 1998.
About the Church Building
The church building is very old, dating back to the Middle Ages. It had big changes made in the 1800s. The oldest part, called the chancel, is from the mid-1200s. A doorway on the north side of the nave is from the 1200s or 1300s.
Inside, you can see a special stone basin called a font from the 1400s. It was used for baptisms. There's also a wooden pulpit from the 1600s. This pulpit was changed around 1775 to have three levels. You can also find many marble slabs on the walls and floor. These slabs are from the 1600s and 1700s. They remember members of the Hervey family. Look closely, and you might see a red-line painting from the 1400s. It shows an angel on the east wall of the chancel. There are also beautiful round pieces of painted glass from the 1300s to the 1800s.
Hervey Family Burials
The Hervey family owned Ickworth for nearly 500 years. Many family members are buried in a special vault under the church. Others are buried in the churchyard outside. The first Hervey to own Ickworth, Thomas Hervey, died in 1467. He was buried here.
After him, almost every Earl and Marquess of Bristol from the family was buried at Ickworth. Many of their wives and daughters were also laid to rest here. The 6th Marquess, who died in 1985, was first buried in France. But in 2010, the 8th Marquess had him moved. He was then reburied in the family vault at Ickworth Church.
Saving Ickworth Church
The 8th Marquess of Bristol started a group called The Ickworth Church Conservation Trust (ICCT). This group was created to protect the future of Ickworth Church. His half-brother, the 7th Marquess, bought the church in 1986. This was after it was no longer used as a regular church in the 1970s. After being bought, the church started to fall apart.
In 2006, the 8th Marquess created the ICCT. He then gave ownership of the church to this trust. He is now a leader and chairman of the trust. The church has since been fully repaired. This big project cost £1.2 million. Now, the church is open for everyone to visit and enjoy.
