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St Andrew's Church

St Andrew's Church

Walberswick

Suffolk

Very fine tower, commenced 1426, not quite square on plan: 4 stages with string course between them, crenellated parapet

C15C16C17STAINED GLASSCARVINGSFONTROOD SCREENFIGURESPULPITMEDIEVAL

Architectural Features

CARVINGS

ornate parapet with carved string course to base, stone quatrefoils, stone frieze carved with shields and panelled flushwork

C15

Remainder of church late C15.

FIGURES

niche above entrance with modern figure of St. Andrew

An older church which stood on the site was taken down in the late 14th century and a new church built on the same spot. St Andrew's church was dedicated in 1493. It was a large building, built onto the tower of the old church and it contained a side chapel and four altars. The nave and chancel had 18 clerestory windows on each side. The church prospered until tithes were stopped being paid in 1538. Subsequently the church and, in fact, the whole town became very poor. Very little was done to repair the church in the following decade. In 1695 permission was obtained to unroof nave, chancel > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2077922 and north aisle and to sell the materials, including three of the four remaining bells, with the proceeds going towards the repair of the south aisle which still houses the current church. When the surrounding ruins were excavated in 1930 a quantity of 14th and 15th century stained glass, all in fragments, was found and many of these fragments were assembled into one light of a window > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2077960 on the south wall. The south porch > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2077907 has survived in its original state and is a good example of the original splendour of the church, as it looked in the 15th century. The elaborately carved pulpit > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2077953 and the baptismal font are also 15th century. The ruined east end of the church is divided from the west end by a grid line that runs through it, placing the church into two different grid squares.
C15FONT

C15 octagonal font with carved bowl and stem

An older church which stood on the site was taken down in the late 14th century and a new church built on the same spot. St Andrew's church was dedicated in 1493. It was a large building, built onto the tower of the old church and it contained a side chapel and four altars. The nave and chancel had 18 clerestory windows on each side. The church prospered until tithes were stopped being paid in 1538. Subsequently the church and, in fact, the whole town became very poor. Very little was done to repair the church in the following decade. In 1695 permission was obtained to unroof nave, chancel > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2077922 and north aisle and to sell the materials, including three of the four remaining bells, with the proceeds going towards the repair of the south aisle which still houses the current church. When the surrounding ruins were excavated in 1930 a quantity of 14th and 15th century stained glass, all in fragments, was found and many of these fragments were assembled into one light of a window > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2077960 on the south wall. The south porch > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2077907 has survived in its original state and is a good example of the original splendour of the church, as it looked in the 15th century. The elaborately carved pulpit > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2077953 and the baptismal font are also 15th century. The ruined east end of the church is divided from the west end by a grid line that runs through it, placing the church into two different grid squares.

© Evelyn Simak

C15CARVINGS

fine C15 pulpit richly carved with quatrefoils

C15ROOD SCREEN

lower part of C15 rood screen with traceried panels

C15

some chancel benches with re-used C15 traceried ends with poppyheads

C16

3 early C16 marble floor slabs.

MEDIEVAL

Graded I for medieval work, especially tower.