e-mail: simon@suffolkchurches.co.uk

St Peter, Gunton, Lowestoft

  To really appreciate the historic setting of this church, one should park in the car park of Pleasurewood Hills, the American theme park in the former grounds of Gunton Hall, and walk the quarter of a mile along the footpath through the woods to the church. The historic village has all gone now, and this is just suburban Lowestoft; leafy, and pleasant enough, but to approach by road gives nothing of the former context.

The body of the church is basically a rebuild, but the whole piece is pretty, don't you think?

Despite the urban setting, St Peter is a truly rural church, with a pretty round tower, and magnificent Norman north and south doorways. I'm guessing that the electric cable nailed into the splay of the south doorway isn't original.

The church itself was pretty well completely rebuilt in the 1890s, although something of its earlier medieval integrity has been preserved.

Unfortunately, I was unable to get in, because like all Lowestoft churches, it is kept locked. And, like most of the others, there is no keyholder.

A modern parish room has been added on to the north side, and a group of pensioners were enjoying a lunch there.

I was rather pleased that the door to this was open, because it has been built so close to the north side that I had to go inside to photograph the Norman north doorway of the church.

  

The north doorway. From within the parish rooms.
 
 

The quote from the Gospel is rather oblique, unless it refers to the extension.

Bodies disturbed when the foundations were put in have been reburied, with a rather moving plaque, by the south door. Rather different to what happened at Bromeswell.

I don't suppose anyone cares very much whether or not you see inside this church, which seems a great pity. A little shortsighted, too.

And the south doorway - through the locked porch grill. LOVE the electric cable, people.

St Peter, Gunton, Lowestoft, is at the end of Gunton Church Lane off of Yarmouth Road, to the north of the town centre, but is best approached on foot from the Pleasurewood Hills car park (just follow the signs). It is firmly locked, and there's no keyholder.

As it was... St Peter before restoration, courtesy of John Vigar.