Flempton

St Catherine, Flempton

St Catherine from the pub car park.How traditional, this juxtaposition between church and inn! And how grateful churchcrawlers are for it!

St Catherine is in an area densely populated with churches, but unfortunately there are not as many people as there used to be. Never mind, because St Catherine hangs on, part of a large benefice that spreads between Bury and Mildenhall.

What makes it extremely unusual in this area, however, is that it is kept open. This may be because it has nothing worth stealing; although, in my experience, the dullest, least rich churches are the ones most likely to be kept locked.

It stands at a fairly busy junction in the village, with the pub right beside it, in a churchyard full of trees.

Inside, this is a pleasant enough church, if not very exciting. It does have one spectacular feature; the double piscina in the sanctuary, with a tracery in the arch and an opening into the adjacent windowsill. Otherwise, this is a very good Victorian rebuilding, with some nice little touches; the royal arms, for instance, bear the name of their maker.

This parish has included the village of Hengrave since 1589. The former parish church there, a mile away, is one of Suffolk's jewels, and should not be missed.

St Catherine, Flempton, is located on the A1101 Bury to Mildenhall road. It is open during the day. See MAP

The extraordinary double-piscina.

Light fills space from an Early English window.