e-mail: simon@suffolkchurches.co.uk

St Mary, Bramford

Of all the medieval parish churches in the Ipswich urban area, this one is my favourite. First of all, there is the grandness; the solid tower, the spire (once a common feature of Suffolk churches), the statues on the pinnacles. Then there is the setting; only the River Gipping and a water meadow separate it from the sprawl of Ipswich, but that is enough. Barely half a mile from the edge of the huge Whitehouse estate, we have the feel of a classic country church, in a suburb that feels like a proper village. We have much to thank the local planning authority for.

The north side is one of Suffolk's more dramatic aspects, with the pinnacles surmounted by extraordinary statues, including a monkey and a bear.

The great 15th century tower, with its bulky staircase, sits solidly at the west end. The large north porch has a fine Edwardian Madonna and child in its alcove, an interesting comparison with the modern equivalent at nearby Little Blakenham.

The great bulk of Bramford tower, a bulldog among churches.

You step into a clean, cool interior. What will strike you first, probably, is Suffolk's only surviving stone roodscreen. The chancel wall and arch do something similar at Gedding and Chevington, but here the screen stands below the 19th century arch, and is pretty well complete.

Suffolk's only surviving stone screen.

One needs a fairly vivid imagination to conjour up its medieval appearance, surmounted as it would be by a wooden loft and painted rood group. It would also have been clad in imagery, and buttressed by altars. The quatrefoil holes were punched through at the end of the 19th century, when the chancel received its ritualist makeover.

Bramford's 1903 Madonna.

This was the second major Victorian restoration here; a drawing from the 1840s shows a nave full of box pews, all focused on a pulpit set in the middle of the south aisle.

In the 1860s, this seating was replaced, and turned to face the altar at the east end. The pulpit was moved to its 'traditional' position.

But the drawing reminds us that, for 200 years or so, it was the pulpit that was the focus of Anglican worship rather than the altar.

It is also a reminder that the way our eyes are automatically drawn to the east end of a church would not have occured to our 18th century ancestors, who often blocked off the chancel for use as storage or a meeting room.

This restoration also included the building of a vestry on the north side of the church, which marries surprisingly well.

Remember the poor: Scripture doth record what to them is given is lent unto the Lord 1591 - almsbox at Bramford.

Although the 20th century tradition of this church would probably be described as High Church rather than Anglo-catholic, an altar has been placed at the east end of the nave in the post-Vatican II manner, and the seating at the east end of the aisles turned to face it (that in the south aisle is the former choir stalls, from the chancel). This, allied with the clearing of clutter, has created a very attractive space.

The 1890s reredos. Note set of sedilia, with piscina above.

During the 19th century, the font was moved into the space beneath the tower to create a baptistery. The font is chiefly remarkable for its 16th century cover, which, like the one at Boxford, has doors which open outwards to give access to the water.

Detail on the 16th century font cover.

James about to fall in the water.

To the north east of the font, notice the large rock beneath the internal tower buttress. This is a glacial boulder, an effective foundation for such a mighty tower. The south porch is converted into an office, with a fine modern glass door etching of the Annunciation. The chancel reredos is a good example of turn-of-the-last-century seriousness.

I had an interesting conversation with one of the wardens here, who was rightly proud that I'd found the church open. When he found out what I was doing, he pointed out highlights of the church, and then showed me the Millennium banners. These are two wall-hangings produced by people in the village, each panel reflecting one aspect of village life. "I don't suppose they are important enough to get put on the internet", he said. But, of course, they are.

St Mary, Bramford, is located on the outskirts of Ipswich along Bramford Road, just beyond the A14 flyover. I found it open. See MAP