e-mail: simon@suffolkchurches.co.uk
St Andrew, Sotherton
| The situation of St
Andrew is quite delightful, at the end of a narrow lane
off the Halesworth to Beccles road. There isn't a
village; Sotherton is too small to be marked on anything
but a decent Ordnance Survey map. The only other
buildings in sight are a cottage on the edge of the
churchyard, and the old farmhouse, from where you collect
the key. The farmhouse's position in relation to St
Andrew gives it a proprietal air, and there is a sense in
which the church is actually a part of the farmyard
complex, as at Letheringham.
About as understated as it gets. Quiet St Andrew, Sotherton. Photo by Ken Baldry. |
St John with his eagle. The other figure is St Mary Magdalene. |
The church was
completely rebuilt by the Victorians. But they reused the
old materials, and at any rate this is a church worth
visiting. It is a fine example of good 19th century rural
work, and the stained glass is some of the best. Nearby Uggeshall has other good examples, so someone around here knew what they were doing. The architect was Henry Ringham, most familiar from his superb wood carving in the Ipswich area, particularly at Great Bealings. The glass is probably the work of Edward Baillie and Charles Hudson. Altogether, it has aged extremely well. Quiet and unassuming, without a tower or a prominent position, St Andrew does, however, have one great treasure. Two surviving panels of the roodscreen are attached to the vestry door. Although they have clearly been overpainted, they retain their 15th century gessowork (plaster of Paris attached to wood or stone, and then painted). More remarkably, St John is accompanied by his symbol of an eagle. This is one of only two times this symbol is known to survive on a roodscreen panel in East Anglia. Cautley was rather harsh about St Andrew, and of course it is insignificant compared to the remarkable treasure of nearby Westhall. But I think this church is lovely, and worth visiting if only for all the Victorian sentiment alone. |
St Andrew, Sotherton, is down a marked lane from the B1124 Halesworth to Beccles road, just south of Westhall. Please note that one of the photographs is by Ken Baldry, and retains his copyright. You can also visit his website. |
