Pounder Brass, St Mary at Quay, Ipswich
The brass memorial to Thomas Pounder (d.1525) and his wife Emme (d.1564) is one of the very finest to survive from the Tudor period, an intricate example of Flemish craftsmanship engraved on a single rectangular sheet (rather than the normal 'cut out' figures used in earlier English-made brasses). The elaborate design depicts the couple with their two sons and six daughters at their feet. Originally it lay on the south side of the chancel, but has long since been removed to Ipswich's museum and replaced by a replica here at the church (mounted on a later tomb in the north transept).
St Mary at Quay stands on the southern edge of Ipswich town centre, sandwiched between the modern industrial facilities and busy main roads near the waterfront, in fact the whole setting seems so at odds with this 15th century building that it feels as if it has been transplanted from somewhere else; it is a somewhat unsympathetic location in which to find such a handsome medieval church.
This church has been redundant for the longest of all Ipswich's surplus churches having first closed to regular worship as far back as 1898 for major repairwork to address the church's marshy foundations, but despite such sporadic interruptions it remained in use until 1943 when closure following bomb damage became permanent. It must have come as no surprise that worship stopped here with St Peter's barely metres away (which before long also in turn closed for worship). The furnishings were largely removed for use elsewhere and the building used by Ipswich Boys Brigade for many years until the Churches Conservation Trust came to the rescue in the 1990s and used the space as an arts venue.
More thorough restoration was required in the early 21st century to address the water ingress that had eroded the nave pillars and the building has since been used as a well being centre for mental health charity Suffolk Mind. The church is now rebranded as Quay Place and the south side contains offices with a small extension and glazed mezzanine in the south aisle. The rest of the interior however retains its spatial integrity, despite feeling a little sparse and empty owing to the lack of furnishings.
Entry is by the north door where a glazed inner porch now encloses the medieval font (keeping it safely protected though rather difficult to see up against the wall, thus now making it impossible to see all its carved surfaces). The nave is an open space and somewhat austere until one looks up at the fine medieval double-hammerbeam roof. Doubtless this roof would once have been alive with carved angels but sadly these did not outlast the Reformation; carved saints remain on the wall-posts but these too have sadly been defaced, but the effect of the whole retains much of its beauty.
The old church isn't entirely empty as memorial remain in the north transept including the location of the famous 16th century Flemish-made Pounder brass (now replaced by a replica, the original having gone to the local museum following redundancy).
I'm not sure what normal opening hours are here but the staff were friendly and didn't mind me coming in for a look around.
Pounder Brass, St Mary at Quay, Ipswich
The brass memorial to Thomas Pounder (d.1525) and his wife Emme (d.1564) is one of the very finest to survive from the Tudor period, an intricate example of Flemish craftsmanship engraved on a single rectangular sheet (rather than the normal 'cut out' figures used in earlier English-made brasses). The elaborate design depicts the couple with their two sons and six daughters at their feet. Originally it lay on the south side of the chancel, but has long since been removed to Ipswich's museum and replaced by a replica here at the church (mounted on a later tomb in the north transept).
St Mary at Quay stands on the southern edge of Ipswich town centre, sandwiched between the modern industrial facilities and busy main roads near the waterfront, in fact the whole setting seems so at odds with this 15th century building that it feels as if it has been transplanted from somewhere else; it is a somewhat unsympathetic location in which to find such a handsome medieval church.
This church has been redundant for the longest of all Ipswich's surplus churches having first closed to regular worship as far back as 1898 for major repairwork to address the church's marshy foundations, but despite such sporadic interruptions it remained in use until 1943 when closure following bomb damage became permanent. It must have come as no surprise that worship stopped here with St Peter's barely metres away (which before long also in turn closed for worship). The furnishings were largely removed for use elsewhere and the building used by Ipswich Boys Brigade for many years until the Churches Conservation Trust came to the rescue in the 1990s and used the space as an arts venue.
More thorough restoration was required in the early 21st century to address the water ingress that had eroded the nave pillars and the building has since been used as a well being centre for mental health charity Suffolk Mind. The church is now rebranded as Quay Place and the south side contains offices with a small extension and glazed mezzanine in the south aisle. The rest of the interior however retains its spatial integrity, despite feeling a little sparse and empty owing to the lack of furnishings.
Entry is by the north door where a glazed inner porch now encloses the medieval font (keeping it safely protected though rather difficult to see up against the wall, thus now making it impossible to see all its carved surfaces). The nave is an open space and somewhat austere until one looks up at the fine medieval double-hammerbeam roof. Doubtless this roof would once have been alive with carved angels but sadly these did not outlast the Reformation; carved saints remain on the wall-posts but these too have sadly been defaced, but the effect of the whole retains much of its beauty.
The old church isn't entirely empty as memorial remain in the north transept including the location of the famous 16th century Flemish-made Pounder brass (now replaced by a replica, the original having gone to the local museum following redundancy).
I'm not sure what normal opening hours are here but the staff were friendly and didn't mind me coming in for a look around.