Trimley St Martin

St Martin, Trimley St Martin

Trimley is a western suburb of Felixstowe, a low drama of modern housing stretched along the former A45. It is still dignified by two parish names (there used to be three, but Alston, also known as Trimley St John, was subsumed by the others some 400 years ago). Being a busy suburb, one might imagine St Martin a thriving community, but the situation here has proved rather curious. Felixstowe itself has five parish churches, including the Suffolk Anglo-catholic flagship of St John the Baptist, and the militantly protestant St Andrew. There is also the vast edifice of Cavendish Community Church, the county's biggest evangelical project. Adjacent Walton has another church of evangelical tendencies, and Trimley itself has several other churches, including the lively Catholic church of St Cecilia, and the popular Trimley Free Church.

Pleasant, polite, well-kept St Martin. (Photo by Alan Thurkettle).

So, you begin to feel the squeeze. Given that Trimley had two Anglican parish churches, it was inevitable that at least one should become redundant, and in the event it was neighbouring St Mary that fell on its own sword, after a fashion. Even then, St Martin does not have a huge congregation, so the two churches have successfully reinvented themselves as a church centre for the whole community. St Martin, one of several churches in this immediate area dedicated to the former Bishop of Tours, retains its role as the parish church.

Across the graveyard, St Mary is now a multi-purpose building; the two buildings are not dissimilar, although St Martin was obviously ahead in the queue when the towers were handed out. St Martin is more apparently 19th century than its partner, although in fact very little remains of either building that is openly medieval.

The inside is rather curious; the sanctuary has been shifted to the south wall, and the seating elsewhere turned to face it. I thought this was rather pleasing, and, as Mortlock says, probably matches the average service requirement for seating.

While the CofE remains established by law, this is likely to remain the first port of call for most of Trimley's baptisms, weddings and funerals.

Trimley St Martin is located on the main road through Trimley; follow Walton High Street from central Felixstowe, or the signs from the A14 Ipswich to Felixstowe road.

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