Monks Eleigh

St Peter, Monks Eleigh

A mile or so from its little sister Brent Eleigh, this village has the grander church; but, perhaps, the less interesting one.

A stately ship in the Brett Valley - St Peter at the end of its avenue of limes. (Photo by Alan Thurkettle).

It certainly has a splendid setting, up from the village high street; its powerful 15th century tower can be seen for miles around, and it is a pleasant foil to the mightily sombre St Peter and St Paul, Lavenham, a couple of miles beyond it. It is reminiscent of the nearby Stour valley, with the stair turret climbing beyond the battlements. In this hilly country, every view is like a painting.

The beautiful south door in a grand setting. (Photo by Alan Thurkettle).

The porch is less grand than we might expect, under the circumstances; this was one of the great wool-producing villages of the Brett valley, the busiest and richest place in England in the 15th century.

But it does retain two consecration crosses, and the inner doorway is a fine one, retaining its original doors, which still bear tracery which must once have been as impressive as that at Stoke-by-Nayland.

The nave was rebuilt at the time of the tower, retaining an arcade from an earlier church, but otherwise being all of a Perpendicular piece.

There is a massive Queen Anne coat of arms above the chancel arch, almost of a size with that at Mildenhall. It looks rather out of place, given that we are used to seeing them at the west end. Actually, it is in its original place, and they all hung here in the days when the church was considered an arm of the state.

The chancel is wholly Victorian, and the Victorians did a pretty thorough job of restoring the entire interior. So, it is clean and bright, as Perpendicular should be, and even retains the 15th century font cover.

Although the rood screen has gone, there is plenty of evidence to show how the rood apparatus worked, with the stairways into aisles and chancel arch showing that it went all the way across. At nearby Rattlesden, the entire thing has been reconstructed.

Looking east. Wholly Victorian really, but note the remnants of rood apparatus. (Photo by Alan Thurkettle).

The Victorian glass in the chancel is interesting rather than attractive, but survivals from medieval days include the pulpit and a piscina in the north aisle.

Unusually, in its proper place. The Oxford Movement tried to return churches to their original purpose, and shifted them away from the centre of action, but for 17th and 18th century Anglicans in the preaching house, it was a reminder of their loyalty to the crown. (Photo by Alan Thurkettle).

It should be recorded that a visit here is always a pleasure; it is particularly welcoming, with lots of information for visitors, and I have never found it locked.

Down the long years...

St Peter, Monks Eleigh, is located just to the north of the Lavenham to Hadleigh road. I've never found it locked.

Please note that the photographs are by Alan Thurkettle, and retain his copyright.