Freston

St Peter, Freston

Freston's wooden war memorial. Peace, rather than victory?

Freston is the most harmonious of the three neighbouring churches in this part of the Shotley peninsula. Woolverstone may have the finer setting, and Wherstead the grandest aspect and most dramatic view.

But St Peter is very attractive, and the shape of the pleasant graveyard a mark that this is the most interesting of the three villages. Like the other two, however, this church is very Victorianised, and very locked.

This is a pity, because the unusual wooden war memorial here made me think that someone with imagination had been at work, and I should have liked to have seen inside.

There seems no reason or excuse for this church not to be open. It is not remote from its village, like the other two are. A few days later, I met the vicar of Holbrook, into whose benefice this church falls., Holbrook is his 'proper' church, and it is kept open. I told him that I hadn't found his other churches open. He replied, rather enigmatically, "No, you wouldn't".

I imagine that, these days, the demands on an Anglican clergyperson's time do not make ensuring the opening of outstation churches a very great priority.

So, we stand outside. We see a building that was a ruined shell by the 19th century. One imagines the storms blowing in up the Orwell each successive winter, gradually smoothing and reducing its ragged stonework, until nothing would remain.

However, the Anglican revival prompted by the Oxford Movement saw its restoration in 1875 by the local architect R.T. Orr. He sensitively rescued the 15th century tower, as well as several windows, including the 14th century east window.

Mortlock notes that his plans are on display at the west end. There is, apparently, some very good Morris and Co. glass, which I should also very much like to see, as well as the chalice and wafer motifs on the font.

And so, on to Woolverstone or Wherstead, depending on whether we are travelling clockwise or anticlockwise around the peninsula. But, before leaving Freston, it is worth mentioning that, rather unusually for a sleepy Suffolk village, there are two buildings here that are taller than the church.

Firstly, of course, there is the massive water tower down on the Shotley Road. But, beyond that, and more interestingly, there is Freston Tower, in the grounds of Freston Hall. This early 16th century building is six storeys high, and the tale goes that it was built as a school for the daughter of Lord de Freston.

She spent one lesson on each floor, reaching the top in the evening, before descending to the ground to begin a new day. Actually, it was probably built as a lookout tower, with a view of the estuary mouth.

But it's a good story, and you can believe it if you like. There is, in any case, a splendid view of the tower from Bridge Wood on the far bank of the Orwell.

The east window. (Thanks to Alan Thurkettle).

The north side, seen first by most visitors. I quite like the Arts and Crafts-style vestry.

One of the most beautiful MU banners I've seen. (Thanks to Alan Thurkettle).

St Peter, Freston, is just to the south of the B1456 Ipswich to Shotley road. It is locked, but the vicar at Holbrook would be the person to contact.

You can also visit Ed Broom's rather amusing Freston Tower site. There is also a page of Freston information on the Bateman family site.

PLEASE NOTE that two of the photographs on this page are by Alan Thurkettle, and retain his copyright.