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St Mary, Parham

  In an area of interesting churches, this is one of the most interesting of all. You might not think so if you were suddenly teleported into the front pews, as this is a thoroughly Victorianised interior. But, as so often, there is more going on here than meets the eye.

The great rood niche in the west wall of Parham tower. Destroyed by the Anglican reformers of the 1540s, it once had an elaborate canopy, and contained Mary and John at the foot of the cross. (Photo by Aidan Semmens).

  So, let us start outside, at the church gate, and to begin with look around, and declare Parham to be beautiful.

The heart of the village, pronounce Parrum, is off the busy road that connects Framlingham to the A12, set in a little dip with ancient houses in attendance.

In the lychgate, look up for a surprise (I won't spoil it) and then look at the west face of the tower.

The niche set is probably the most striking in Suffolk. You may remember something similar from Great Cornard, Wetheringsett and Cotton, and from the dramatic Victorian reconstruction at Friston, to name just four.

But none are as good as this one. It probably held a rood group, the crucifixion in the middle, and John the Evangelist and Mary the Mother of God on either side. The eastern buttresses of the tower are parallel to the tower eastern face and there are no battlements on the tower, making it seem rather severe, especially with the low nave roof. The nave windows are tall and stately, making the church seem rather bigger than it actually is.

Mortlock mentions evidence that the current church dates from 1370, a rebuilding under the patronage of William of Ufford, Earl of Suffolk.

At this time, the window between rood niche and west door wasn't there; it dates from a refurbishment of the late 15th century, along with the others in the nave. The grand north porch dates from the same time, but the Victorians turned it into a vestry.

Looking east. The paving stones and late 19th century pews create a neat, almost stark, effect. (Photo by Alan Thurkettle).

Right: the font.

 

Inside, the organ is on the west gallery, but below it there is some fascinating grafitti in the tower archway, of medieval ships. Turning to the west, the screen is beautiful.

It gave Cautley the horrors, and even made Mortlock tut, because the Victorians removed the lower panels, leaving the tracery, and then painted the whole thing red and green.

But I rather like it. The whole building has a sense of space because of it, unusual in a church so comprehensively restored in the 1880s.

I also very much like the reredos, a cobbling together of 17th century woodwork with a picture of the Last Supper in the Russian style. I would have liked to have known where it came from.

You may notice the grooves on the step in the sanctuary. You see these elsewhere in Suffolk, usually on font steps, but the reason for them is lost to us now. perhaps they had a sacramental purpose.

Mortlock thought that the stone shields in the sanctuary may have come from Butley Priory.

 

Looking west, through the Victorianised screen. Notice the way that they removed the dado panels, but left the tracery. (Photo by Alan Thurkettle).

Above: altar. (Photos by Alan Thurkettle).

Back down to the west, the font is a veritable pattern book, also incorporating the shield of the Earls of Suffolk.

There are a couple of hatchments, and if the 17th century communion rails look odd, it is because alternate balusters have been removed by someone who, presumably, thought it was a good idea at the time. Remembering Archbishop Laud's main reason for installing such things in the first place, perhaps they just wanted to let the dogs back in.

Polite 1880s century pews (good ones, I think). The font hides at the back. (Photo by Alan Thurkettle).

St Mary, Parham, is just off the B1116, about halfway between Framlingham and Wickham Market. I've always found it open.

  Please note that the photographs on this entry are by Aidan Semmens and Alan Thurkettle, and retain their copyright.

You can also visit the entry for Parham at Aidan Semmens' Sylly Suffolk.