Westleton

St Peter, Westleton

I've always been very fond of this church. Back in 1990, it was the first Suffolk village church I properly explored, and I enjoyed finding my name from then in the visitors book. The wide open churchyard and towerless church are hidden from the village street by a high hedge, and it would be perfectly possible to pass through this lovely village, with its fine pubs, village green and bookshop, without even noticing St Peter.

Not terribly distinguished - but wait till you see inside.

Once on the path that rises from the east, though, we find ourselves in a beautifully atmospheric churchyard, full of fascinating headstones. Several of them provided the basis for stories in Ronald Fletcher's In a Country Churchyard, which is recommended reading for all fans of Suffolk churches.

Among the graves is one for June Perry, a man, who was 'warrener' for the royal family at Windsor from George III to Queen Victoria.

Rebekah Willson's headstone - one wonders if the five opening words were an off-the-shelf feature, and the rest of the stone was carved locally.

Another of my favourites is that for Rebekah Willson; the mason seems to have taken more care over the curly heading, than of ensuring that the poor woman's name all fitted on one line.

There's a fine interlocking Y-tracery east window, and at the other end a curious buttress; the tower fell in 1776, and the stubby replacement fell victim to a World War II bomb; its remains were demolished in the 1950s. The little red-brick turret is perfectly in keeping, however, and contains a little 1960 bell.

The 1960 bell - click to see an enlarged image
(photo by David Smith).

All in all, it is an undistinguished, exterior; rather small, but very well kept.

However, on stepping into the interior, our first impression is one of surprise and delight. This is a cool, open, large interior, full of white space. The brick flooring adds to the sense of simplicity. The lights are enclosed in beautiful glass globes. It is splendid.

Looking west.

The great font rises from the brick floor.

Such a space is well suited to musical performances, and it is often used for concerts. Not much that is ancient has survived; one thing that has is one of Suffolk's best sets of piscina and sedilia.

I'm also fond of the font, which retains its dedicatory inscription.

One of Suffolk's best piscina and sedilia sets, dating from the 13th century.

The piscina for a medieval nave altar has been pressed back into service for an altar dedicated to St Francis, with a frontal in the style of Isobel Clover. There is a most strange reset corbel head nearby, that seems to show a black boy. I wonder what it supported.

The modern altar to St Francis, on the site of a medieval predecessor.

A visit here should certainly be combined with a walk around the village. The former Methodist chapel is now a large, rather eccentric second-hand bookshop.

On my first visit, the dressing-gowned proprietor promptly asked me if I'd hold the fort for him, as he was going off to have his breakfast!

And a visit should end at one of the excellent pubs.

A curious corbel head, reset in the nave. From a memorial, perhaps?

I keep coming back to Westleton, because it's that kind of place.

St Peter, Westleton, can be found signposted off the A12 at Yoxford, on the way to Dunwich. It is also on the B1125 Blythburgh to Theberton road, if you are coming from the north. I've visited it many times, and never found it locked.

You can visit the entry for this church on Aidan Semmens' Sylly Suffolk site.

You can also visit the Darsham, Dunwich and Westleton website.

The photograph of the bell is by David Smith, and retains his copyright.