Icklingham All Saints

All Saints, Icklingham

This is an ancient place. The Iceni, for whom the village is named, were a Celtic tribe, whose Queen Boudicca has become a national heroine. She it was who, in the 1st century AD, led the only successful rebellion against the Roman occupation. It is likely that the Iceni later embraced Christianity, but no trace of their worship survives; after the Romans finally left Britain after AD400, the Iceni were driven out of their homeland by the Saxons, who, of course, remain here to this day.

The newly thatched All Saints. (Photo by Alan Thurkettle.)

The Saxons were themselves later Christianised by St Felix, and this was probably the most densely populated area of England by AD700. An excavated Saxon village has been reconstructed nearby at West Stow.

All Saints is one of Suffolk's grandest village churches, and is in a splendid condition now, thanks to the loving attention lavished on it by the Churches Conservation Trust, who now have care of it. It was declared redundant in the 1970s, not least because it is one of two churches in this otherwised rather undistinguished village. There is no real way that the Parish could have afforded a similar degree of care.

Chancel...

...and aisle chapel. (Photos by Alan Thurkettle.)

The hilltop site suggests that this may have been where the converted Saxons built their church, but nothing here is older than the 12th century work in the nave walls. Most of this church was rebuilt on a grand scale in the 14th and 15th centuries, but it still retains a rustic charm, not least because of its thatched roof, one of the biggest in Suffolk (I say that cautiously, but I can't think of a bigger one).

Above: reading desk.

Left: font with tracery panels. The legs make it look rather coy, I think. (Photos by Alan Thurkettle.)

There is a delightful feel to the interior, and not a lot happened here after the Reformation until a fairly restrained 19th century restoration. A major survival is the expanse of medieval floor tiles in the chancel. Also a survival, but no longer here, are the hassocks, large 19th century kneelers made out of sedge. There are more at nearby Eriswell and Lakenheath.

After redundancy, they were removed to the other church in the village, St James, as was the spectacular 16th century Parish chest, which Mortlock thinks the best in England.

When I first visited All Saints a couple of years ago, the roof was in the process of being re-thatched. The reeds were piled up in the churchyard, and it was fascinating to watch them being interwoven in much the same manner as this would have happened in centuries past. Once, most of Suffolk's churches were thatched; about 40 still are.

Rare medieval tiles in the chancel steps. (Photo by Alan Thurkettle.)

At the time I visited, access to the inside was not possible, but once again one of the glories of Suffolk is open to the public.

Above left: All Saints in modernist mode during rethatching.

Above: reeds piled up during the process. This is probably the biggest thatched roof in Suffolk.

Left: Today, the thatching from inside. (Photo by Alan Thurkettle.)

St James, Icklingham, is to be found at the western end of this village on the A1101 Bury to Mildenhall road. I found it locked, with a nearby keyholder listed.

Several of the photos on this entry are by Alan Thurkettle, and retain his copyright.