The great west tower of St Gregory, a defensive fortress that has outlived the Cold War fifteen times over.

For a start, there were the forests, through which the roads cut and in which the villages hide. But mostly, it was the Americans that made it exotic. Woodbridge and Bentwaters were among the biggest American bases in Europe, and to drive along the perimeter fences, gazing in at the houses, bunkers and hangers, was to see a people in possession.

Above the entrance to the Bentwaters base was a banner reading PEACE THROUGH SUPERIOR FIREPOWER. It was from here that the American Airforce bombed Libya.

Well, the great storm of October 1987 destroyed a million trees in Suffolk, and was particularly cruel to the Rendlesham and Tunstall forests. And the Americans have gone now, leaving empty holes in this district.

Their absence is most striking from Wantisden church, where the great Bentwaters base stretches away to the horizon, abandoned and derelict.

St Gregory is set in the fields on the far side of the village from the air base, and you would not think that for more than 50 years this village was a virtual garrison town. And you'd think, now, that with the departure of the US Airforce, this area would be settling back down into sleep.

St Gregory is, above all else, a grand building. It is the largest church in these parts, and sits handsomely in its open churchyard. The road has to divert widely to make way for it, which is just as it should be.

This is one of those churches where the eastern buttresses of the tower are parallel to the eastern wall of the tower, creating an illusion of a vast, blank wall. Something similar can be experienced at Thornham Magna. The staircase snuggled against it on the south side creates an impression of strength and defensiveness.

On the eastern face, a sanctus bell window can be seen, below the original roofline. It would, of course, originally have been inside. This great tower probably predates many of its grand cousins in Suffolk, perhaps from the 14th century. A later porch stands below it, its upper room lifting it to roof-level.

The grandest sight in the Deben Valley - St Gregory in its large churchyard.

The 14th century tower. An elaborate Y-tracery bell window, as well as a sanctus-bell window below the original roofline, help to alleviate the severity of the eastern face.

I stepped down into a cool, crisp interior. The winter sunshine seemed to have followed me in. The painted box pews that neatly line the nave are reminiscent of those at Tunstall. The sense of space is accentuated by the way that the chancel has been cleared of clutter - how good that looks!

I'm not normally a great fan of memorials, but the light and space here allow them to seem less imposing, and there are some fine early 19th century ones to the Barons of Rendlesham. My favourite is the very camp one to the south of the chancel; Mortlock was very sniffy about it. He's probably right to suggest that the one opposite is better. The sculpture of Pity is by John Flaxman, a sister for his other work at Tattingstone.

Most imposing of all is a wide open 14th century tomb recess, probably for a priest who died in 1312.

Other, smaller memorials are scattered around, but they do not impose, and one does not get the sense of a museum that such a number can often create.

Behind a wine glass pulpit, the rood stairs wind up from the chancel arch into the south wall. They are very fine, among the best in Suffolk. The font is also a fine one; typically East Anglian, with cheerful lions and angels supporting the bowl, and on its panels.

To the west of the south door is another little door, with an unbelievably steep stairway behind it - it is almost vertical. This is to the room above the south porch, and it is not necessary to climb far before your head comes level with the floor of the room.

The little room is very reminiscent of the same space at Blythburgh, although here there is not a chapel. The room seems to have been used for an exhibition about Sutton Hoo, the burial place of the ancient Kings of East Anglia.

Rendlesham, of course, was once their capital. The Wuffinga ruled a country from here. A straight path can be traced from here to Sutton Hoo, and perhaps this church itself is on the site of a pagan temple. The story goes that King Redwald was baptised on this very site, later recanting in deference to his pagan wife. Perhaps it was from here that his body set out, to be carried on its final journey to the great ship burial on the hill above the Deben.

St Gregory, Rendlesham, sits a quarter of a mile to the west of the A1152 Woodbridge to Snape road, just before the village. I found it open, but I have been told by other people that they found it locked, without a keyholder listed. See MAP

There are many fond memories of Bentwaters on the internet. Some of the most relevant are at the Bentwaters site.

You can read more about the royal house of East Anglia on Sam Newton's Wuffings website.

The great tomb recess of Sayer Sulyard - the full confidence of the Decorated style, before the Black Death changed the world for ever.

The wineglass pulpit, with the fine roodloft stairs behind.

The upper room - once an exhibition space.