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About Us
The history of the church
The history of the church
The history of the church
A guide to the Church and its history.
Written by Mr N Goodchild
St. Peter's Church Blaxhall.
Introduction.
Welcome to the church of St Peter in Blaxhall. We hope that you will find this guide helpful and informative as you explore both inside and outside the building. The church reflects the varied architectural history and religious at
A guide to the Church and its history.
Written by Mr N Goodchild
St. Peter's Church Blaxhall.
Introduction.
Welcome to the church of St Peter in Blaxhall. We hope that you will find this guide helpful and informative as you explore both inside and outside the building. The church reflects the varied architectural history and religious atmospheres that have prevailed during the centuries of its existence.
The church is one of many in Suffolk that are dedicated to St Peter, who with St Paul were the two most important leaders of Christianity in its early days. Saint Peter is such a popular choice because he held the keys to the gates of Heaven and is always shown doing so. It is situated in a peaceful, rural setting about 1 mile to the west of the village. According to local tradition the original settlement near the church was devastated by the Black Death and abandoned. After the pestilence had subsided many of the inhabitants settled on the site of the present village, well away from the former site.
The Churchyard 
The oldest part of the churchyard lies to the north of the path, surrounding the church. The part to the south was added in 1932 when a piece of land was purchased as an extension. It follows that the oldest headstones are to be found to the north of the path, in fact there are several from the 18th century, especially to the east and southeast of the church. The oldest was erected to the memory of Eleanor Mills who died on the 6th of October
1721. There are several family groupings among the headstones, the most notable examples being:
Two coffin shaped memorials for the Flatt family to the south of the church near the porch.
A group near the southwest corner for the Pope family and beside them a group for the Rope family.
The Rope family had strong connections with the church including Ellen Mary Rope whose artistic talents are much in evidence inside.
Two former Rectors are buried here. The resting place of Edward Williams and his wife Elizabeth can be found below the east window and that of Ellis Wade and his wife Sarah can be found to the north of the building surrounded by a low iron fence.
Other headstones of interest are two 18th century brick table memorials to the east of the church for Nathaniel Brown, his wife Margery and their son also called Nathaniel. Unfortunately their inscriptions are no longer legible. On the north side of the church is a white War Commission headstone for Able Seaman A.J Plant R.N who served on HMS “Marshal Soult” and was killed on the 8th of March 1916 aged 21 years.
In the south section of the churchyard the oldest headstones are to be found at the east end.
The Exterior
The black flint Tower has been heavily restored at the top with red brick, possibly the result of a period of decay in the 17th century. It is buttressed at the corners, and like the body of the tower they are decorated with flushwork of flint and stone, some of which has been repaired with red brick infill.
The 15th century West Doorway has been stopped up with brick to support the Tower, but it is still an attractive feature. It is a drop-arch with a square head and pairs of slim flanking shafts. On each side are crowned lion stops supporting the dripstone, which is decorated with fleurons. The spandrels are in the form of a “green man” on the south side and a crowned angel holding a shield bearing the arms of the Ufford family on the north. Over the door is a broad quatre foiled flushwork frieze. Above this the large West Window has been stopped up with brick. The Belfry windows are drop-arches filled with wooden slats and below them are slot windows, tre foiled with a square head.
The Porch also dates from the 15th century. It is decorated with flushwork
panelling and roundels and is supported by buttresses at its corners. Each
of these contains an inscription. On the west a crowned “TS” 
and on the east a crowned “MR” 
. The door arch contains several plain mouldings and the dripstone is supported by human heads. Over
the arch is a small stone shield and on each side of this is a smaller one, their shields in an eight-pointed cavity, above these are three more, smaller still, the centre one now covered by a lantern. There is a window on each side, each of two lights. The dripstone of the west window is supported by lion heads and on the east by those of humans.
The walls of the slate roofed Nave are rendered and heavily buttressed. The windows date from the 14th century although some may be 16th century replacements, especially those with simple brick tracery. The Chancel walls are again rendered and heavily buttressed especially at its corners. Like the Nave the windows date from the 14th century except the narrow lancet window in the north wall which is which dates from the 13th century. The impressive east window dates from the early 14th century, it has three lights with intersected tracery and the dripstone is supported by the heads of a man and a woman. In the south wall is a 14th century Priest's Doorway. The Chancel is covered by a red tiled roof.
The Interior.
The church is entered by the south Porch. The outstanding feature inside is the stained glass, especially in the west window. It contains two lights showing groups of musical children and is the first example of work by the talented Rope family. It is by Ellen Mary Rope and is in the characteristic style of the Arts and Crafts School.
Passing through the inner doorway and entering the Nave you find that your eyes are drawn straight down to the east end of the building and an effect of great length is achieved. This is the result of the absence of a chancel arch and the small difference in height between the nave and chancel roofs. The open character and layout of the interior is largely the result of the restoration work carried out in 1863 under the direction of the
architect Mr J.P St Aubyn. Moving into the nave the 15th. Century Font can be seen in the central Aisle. It has a
substantial octagonal bowl, which is decorated with tracery shapes and small shields in the panels. The shaft displays fine evangelistic figures in the diagonals with close tracery design between them. It stands on an octagonal base, which has carved roses between
waving stems on its edges and a plain stone step on its west side. On the wall opposite the font the north nave door now leads into the Vestry, which was added in the 19th century. In here can be found one of the two wooden chests in the church, the other is at present against the north nave wall below the Tower Arch which was opened up in 1863 by the removal of the old Gallery. On the wall to the south of the arch is an elaborate 18th century wall painting which bears the inscription “John Roper, Warden 1711” obviously to the memory of this former church official. Set into the wall below this is a piece of stone carved with Saxon interlace, its origins and history are unknown.
Passing back through the tower arch and re-entering the nave you can cast your eyes upwards and admire the details of the early 16th century Hammer Beam Roof. Demi-angels at the base of the wall posts are holding open books and above them a series of shields display various religious symbols including the cock and crossed keys of St Peter.
Back on ground level again the open wooden benches on either side of the aisle were added during the 19th century rebuilding when the old pews were removed. On the south wall beside the door is a trefoil Stoup niche and at the east end are the blocked up doorways of the Rood Stairs Stairs which lead up to the Rood Loft above the Rood Screen where the Rood, or great cross stood, reaching up before the congregation. No trace of the screen remains today but in 1844 the Revd. David Elisha Davey noted during one of his many visitations to the church that there were
“some saints painted upon the screen, but obscured by the seats.”
There are many memorials in the nave, not only on the walls but also in the stained glass of one of the south windows. A brass plaque below explains that this window is in memory of Henry Toller, “A respected resident of the parish.” Near this is a memorial to George Bates, Captain of the West Suffolk Militia and his wife Mary Elizabeth. On top of the plaque a small stone shield bears the arms of the Bates family, which is crested by a stag's head transfixed by an arrow. On the same wall is a
large touchstone and alabaster memorial erected in 1621 by Valentine Saunders in memory of his brother Frauncis, his sister-in- law Katharin and Frauncis his eldest son. The inscription relating to Katharin's death is left blank where her age and the number of years she was widowed were to have been recorded, as if her name was inserted before her death and for some reason these details were not added after her passing. Turning your attention to the north wall, beside the vestry door is the War Memorial, a bronze plaque depicting Christ taking the hand of a fallen soldier. Like the porch window it is the work of Ellen Mary Rope, a fact which shows the great range of her talents. Further along is a piece by another member of this family, a small bas-relief memorial in plaster by Dorothy Rope, the sculptress niece of Ellen Mary. It is to the memory of Margorie Wilson, daughter of a former rector Theodore Wilson. Next to this, in a window embrasure is a square sculpted panel showing a kneeling angel with a small child. It is unsigned but is another example of the work of Ellen Mary Rope.
On the north wall is a memorial to Alfred Aldrich Bates, who was the
son of Ernest Bates, Rector of the parish from 1896 to 1915. It is a beautiful small-scale relief panel depicting an angel leading a small boy by the hand and again it is the work of Ellen Mary Rope. Below the stained glass in the south window is a brass plaque erected by the family of the Reverend Ellis Wade a former Rector of the parish. Set into the floor at the east end are two memorial tablets to Thomas Garthwaite, the founder of the “Red Cross Charity”, and his wife Elizabeth.
Separated from the chancel by the Communion Rails and a low step is the Sanctuary, This is by far the most impressive part of the church and its most striking feature is the glass in the East Window. It is the work of Margaret Agnes Rope who worked jointly with her younger cousin Margaret E. Aldrich Rope. The window was erected as a memorial to other members of their family and is remarkable in that it seems to reveal something new every time it is viewed. Below the window is the Altar, which is flanked on each side by two panels of the Reredos. On the north side the panels are inscribed with the Creed and the first four of the Ten Commandments and on the south side the remaining six Commandments and the Lord's Prayer. In the south wall is a Piscina and beside it a dropped sill Sedilia.
On the south wall below a carved skull is a memorial to Thomas Jackson who served from 1737 to 1762. It also honours his wife Letitia and their son Thomas and daughter, also named Letitia. On the north wall is a shield to Richard Taylor, who succeeded Thomas Jackson serving until 1798 and below this a memorial to Reverend Canon Naunton Bates and his wife Lucie.
Passing under the arch you come into the Tower , which is built on three levels. Overhead the ceiling is pierced by five holes through which the bell ropes once hung. It is interesting to note that although there are five holes the tower houses six bells. The sixth was added in 1900 after the gallery above was built. On the south wall hangs a large wooden board, originally erected in 1762, which displays the details of the “Red Cross Charity” started by Thomas
Garthwaite, a former Rector who was incumbent at the church from 1621 to 1680. The charity still survives today but in a different form. In the southwest corner is a doorway behind which a narrow spiral staircase climbs up to the Belfry. On the north wall is a wooden staircase, which leads to the 19th century Ringing Gallery above, where the bells are rung.
Date
Bell
Maker
1900
Treble
Warner and Sons, London.
1902
2
Recast by Carrs, Smethwick.
1655
3
J.Brend, Norwich.
1655
4
J.Brend, Norwich.
1881
5
Recast by Warner and sons, London.
1902
Tenor
Recast by Carrs, Smethwick.
The original 2nd, 5th and Tenor bells were made by J.Brend of Norwich in 1655. The 5th bears the following inscription:
Recast by John Warner & Sons, London, 1881 (Royal Arms) Patent
A.N Bates, M.A Rector, James Toller and George Rope. (Churchwardens)
Funding
The history of the church
The history of the church
The PCC is working on raising the funds to repair the tower repair. We are working in partnership with
Benhall St. Mary's CEVC Primary School.
We would welcome any partner who would like to come on board and help us increase interest in the Church's unique heritage.
Art in the Church
The history of the church
Art in the Church
On the north wall, beside the vestry door is the War Memorial, a bronze plaque depicting Christ taking the hand of a fallen soldier. Like the porch window it is the work of Ellen Mary Rope, a fact which shows the great range of her talents. Further along is a piece by another member of this family, a small bas-relief memorial in plaster
On the north wall, beside the vestry door is the War Memorial, a bronze plaque depicting Christ taking the hand of a fallen soldier. Like the porch window it is the work of Ellen Mary Rope, a fact which shows the great range of her talents. Further along is a piece by another member of this family, a small bas-relief memorial in plaster by Dorothy Rope, the sculptress niece of Ellen Mary. It is to the memory of Margorie Wilson, daughter of a former rector Theodore Wilson. Next to this, in a window embrasure is a square sculpted panel showing a kneeling angel with a small child. It is unsigned but is another example of the work of Ellen Mary Rope.
Our mission
Memorial in plaster
Art in the Church
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is committed to restoring the church tower. We are being advised by Birdsall, Swash and Blackman architects. Fundamentally the repairs will consist of the replacement of corroding steel reinforcement rods with stainless steel ones and repairs to the damaged stone nearby.
Bronze plaque
Memorial in plaster
Memorial in plaster
By Ellen Mary Rope
Memorial in plaster
Memorial in plaster
Memorial in plaster
By Dorothy Rope (niece of Ellen Mary)
Kneeling Angel
Kneeling Angel
Kneeling Angel
By Ellen Mary Rope