St Peter and St Paul's Church, Clare facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter and St Paul's Church, Clare |
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St Peter and St Paul's Church, Clare
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| 52°4′43.88″N 0°34′51.44″E / 52.0788556°N 0.5809556°E | |
| Location | Clare, Suffolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Membership | 99 |
| Weekly attendance | 40-90 |
| Website | https://stpeterandstpaulclare.uk/ |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Peter and St Paul |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Clare |
| Deanery | Sudbury |
| Archdeaconry | Suffolk |
| Diocese | Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich |
St Peter and St Paul's Church in Clare, Suffolk, is a very old and important church. It's part of the Church of England. This church is so special that it's listed as a Grade I listed building, meaning it's protected because of its history and beauty. It's also one of the biggest churches in the East Anglia area.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
The church has a long history, with records of priests going back to 1307. The tall west tower was built in the 13th century. Most of the church you see today was built in the 14th and early 15th centuries.
The church has been updated many times. The main part of the church, called the nave, was fixed in the 1440s. The chancel, where the altar is, was worked on in 1617. The tower was repaired at the end of the 1800s.
The upper windows, called clerestory, are thin and close together. This makes the church look very tall and grand.
Special Features from the Past
The church has a unique reading stand, called a lectern. It's shaped like an eagle with three dogs as feet instead of lions. This lectern is from the late 1400s. It might have been used to collect money, with coins dropped in the beak and coming out the tail!
You can also see two special private seating areas, called pews. One has symbols of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. The other is a fancy Stuart-era pew. It has carved decorations that look like those in another nearby church.
In the chancel, there are rare choir stalls from the Jacobean period. These are beautifully carved wooden seats for the choir.
Above the south porch, there's a sundial with a motto. It says: 'Go about your business'. This isn't about shopping! It's a reminder from a Bible verse by St Paul. It means to focus on your own work and not be a busybody.
Around the main doorway, you can spot ten carved faces of the Green Man. This is a nature spirit image. It's interesting to see this older, more pagan symbol in a Christian church. But it was common across Europe.
The Time of William Dowsing
A big event in the church's history happened in 1643. This was during the English Civil War. A man named William Dowsing visited the church. He was sent by the Puritan Parliament. Their goal was to remove anything they thought was too fancy or "superstitious" from churches. This included altars, candlesticks, and religious images.
Dowsing was very strict about this. He kept a journal of his visits. On January 6, 1644, he wrote about Clare church: "We broke down 1000 superstitious pictures. I broke down 200 myself." He mentioned breaking images of God the Father, Christ, and the Holy Ghost. He also ordered the removal of carved apostles and cherubim from the roof. Even the sun and moon in the East window were supposed to be taken down.
Some bullet holes in the roof suggest one way they tried to destroy things. Other methods included arrows, stones, poles, and whitewash. Luckily, the sun and moon images in the window still survive today!
Victorian Changes
Like many churches in England, St Peter and St Paul's was changed during the Victorian era. The first repairs happened between 1834 and 1836. A gallery was also added inside.
More work was done from 1877 to 1883, based on plans by architect James Piers St Aubyn. Later, in 1898, another architect named Detmar Blow helped repair the tower.
Church Administration
The church in Clare is part of a larger group called the Parish of Clare with Poslingford. This group also includes St Mary's Church in Poslingford. St Peter and St Paul's is also part of the Stour Valley Benefice. This means it works together with other local churches, including:
- St Mary the Virgin's Church, Cavendish
- St John the Baptist's Church, Stoke-by-Clare
- St Leonard's Church, Wixoe
- All Saints Church, Hundon
Cool Things to See: Church Features
The Organ
In the 1700s, the church had an organ at the back. But in 1864, it was moved to its current spot. A new organ was brought in in 1888. This organ was first built in 1847 for a church in London.
In 1977, another organ was brought from a church in Ipswich. It was given in memory of Clare Wayman, a person who lived from 1892 to 1976. You can find details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
The Bells
The church has a set of eight bells. They are famous for having the heaviest tenor bell (the largest bell) in Suffolk. It weighs about 28 hundredweight (which is over 1400 kilograms!).
One bell, the 7th, has a special message carved on it. It says: Trintas Sancta Campanum Istam Conserva, which means "Holy Trinity conserve this bell." This bell was likely made around 1410. The sixth bell is from 1579. It's the largest bell made by its creator, John Dier, that still exists.
In 1781, two more bells were added, making it a set of eight. These were made by William Mears. The third and fifth bells were made by the Miles Graye family. The largest bell was remade in 1893.
The Gotch
A very unusual item in the church is called "the gotch." It's a large beer jug! The vicar (church leader) Matthew Bell gave it to the bell ringers in 1729. It's almost 20 inches (50 cm) tall and can hold 32 pints (about 18 litres).
The jug has a clever saying on it: campana sonant canore, which means "the bells ring in harmony." It also has a bell and a crown on it. These symbols refer to the Crown Hotel, which was owned by the vicar's family.
Visiting the Church Today
St Peter and St Paul's Church is open every day for visitors. Many groups help support the church and its activities.
- The Friends of Clare Church organize events to raise money for the church.
- The Society for Music in Clare Church puts on concerts throughout the year.
- There is also an active Mothers' Union branch and a Flower Guild.
The church choir sings at the main Sunday services. You can also find a shop and a bookstall inside the church. Parking is available in Clare town. The closest car park is at Clare Country Park, which is about a five-minute walk uphill.
