Trimley St Mary

St Mary, Trimley St Mary

Few parish churches have been so effectively squeezed out of existence as St Mary. But here, in the endless western suburbs of Felixstowe, it was clearly the least sustainable of all the eight Anglican parish churches in the urban area. Changing patterns of worship are even more fickle than those of population, and in this most evangelical of all Suffolk towns, worshippers have been pulled in by the excitement of the Cavendish Community Church a mile or so away (or St Safeways, as cynics in the town call it). There is also the glamour of the central Felixstowe churches; Suffolk's flagship Anglo-catholic experience at St John the Baptist, and the rugged protestantism of St Andrew.

An electricity substation, with a decent little medieval church attached. (Photo by Alan Thurkettle).

St Mary's main problem is that it sits in the same churchyard as its neighbour St Martin - or, more accurately, in adjacent churchyards with the dividing wall now gone. Any potential congregation was similarly divided, and so in the 1980s St Mary was effectively closed, St Martin becoming the parish church, and this one a multi-purpose community building, with church offices, recreational space, facilities for playgroups, etc.

It goes without saying, I am afraid, that this is quite the ugliest church tower in Suffolk, with all the glamour of an electricity substation. But the building against it is pleasant enough, and clearly loved. Much survives that is apparently 14th century, but this church, like neighbouring Walton, was a complete ruin by the 19th century, and so what we see is essentially a Victorian rebuilding. There is some excellent 19th and 20th century glass inside; but the person responsible for the rendering, who may also have been the one behind the same thing at nearby Nacton, ought to be rendered themselves.

You step inside to what appears to be a badminton court, although it has rather more uses than that. A large curtain at the east end partitions off the chancel, which remains in its original state - or, at least, in its 19th century restored state. It is still used for quiet services of Communion and prayer, and hosted the Catholic congregation of St Cecilia for a few months when their church was destroyed by fire.

Trimley St Mary 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.