St Andrew's, Westhall
St Andrew's church at Westhall wasn't one I was familiar with on my previous visit to the area, if I had realised what I was missing on that occasion I may have changed my itinerary to include it. Subsequently learning of it along with the recommendations of those who know it convinced me that my next trip to Suffolk had to somehow include it, thus my plans for this excursion were largely built around making sure I didn't miss it again.
One can see why this church isn't as well known as it should be, it isn't the easiest one to find and stands some distance from the small village of Westhall itself, hidden away down a leafy lane. It is still somewhat elusive once one has even entered the churchyard, being beset by so much foliate cover that I could only get a full view of the building from the north side. It already promises good things, a fairly large 14th century building of chancel, nave and south aisle with the tower at the west end of this beside a fine Norman doorway. The tower was actually built in front of the original Norman facade and its main doorway which is still preserved within, thus one shouldn't neglect the small room at the west end of the south aisle when exploring inside.
One enters however via the north porch and finds within a spacious interior with that delightful sense of antiquity that churches spared by over-zealous Victorians posses. Above is a fine old roof which springs from carved angels, still with their original colour though alas iconoclasts have sadly deprived us of their wings and heads (why is it iconoclastic zealots so embrace beheading?!). Ahead the east window retains some non-figurative 14th century glass in its reticulated traceries, while on both sides of the church significant sections of medieval wall-painting survive.
The best features here however are the medieval fittings that remain, most notably the Seven Sacrament font, one of the very best survivors; sadly it too has suffered from a frenzy of iconoclasm, though it may be the case here that the projecting details of the figures were hacked away to allow them to be more easily plastered over, which might also account for how well preserved the original colouring is (extremely rare on any font) and the remarkable small figure reliefs applied in gesso inbetween each panel (possibly a unique survival). The base of the rood screen also survives with its painted iconography, which includes yet another rarity in the depiction of Christ's transfiguration amongst the figures of saints.
Westhall church is a real treat and certainly deserves to be better known, a place of much charm and great interest that was happily normally open and welcoming to visitors in pre-Covid days. For more on the church see Simon's entry on his Suffolk Churches site below (it is mainly thanks to his recommendation that I came here, and much appreciated it was too).
St Andrew's, Westhall
St Andrew's church at Westhall wasn't one I was familiar with on my previous visit to the area, if I had realised what I was missing on that occasion I may have changed my itinerary to include it. Subsequently learning of it along with the recommendations of those who know it convinced me that my next trip to Suffolk had to somehow include it, thus my plans for this excursion were largely built around making sure I didn't miss it again.
One can see why this church isn't as well known as it should be, it isn't the easiest one to find and stands some distance from the small village of Westhall itself, hidden away down a leafy lane. It is still somewhat elusive once one has even entered the churchyard, being beset by so much foliate cover that I could only get a full view of the building from the north side. It already promises good things, a fairly large 14th century building of chancel, nave and south aisle with the tower at the west end of this beside a fine Norman doorway. The tower was actually built in front of the original Norman facade and its main doorway which is still preserved within, thus one shouldn't neglect the small room at the west end of the south aisle when exploring inside.
One enters however via the north porch and finds within a spacious interior with that delightful sense of antiquity that churches spared by over-zealous Victorians posses. Above is a fine old roof which springs from carved angels, still with their original colour though alas iconoclasts have sadly deprived us of their wings and heads (why is it iconoclastic zealots so embrace beheading?!). Ahead the east window retains some non-figurative 14th century glass in its reticulated traceries, while on both sides of the church significant sections of medieval wall-painting survive.
The best features here however are the medieval fittings that remain, most notably the Seven Sacrament font, one of the very best survivors; sadly it too has suffered from a frenzy of iconoclasm, though it may be the case here that the projecting details of the figures were hacked away to allow them to be more easily plastered over, which might also account for how well preserved the original colouring is (extremely rare on any font) and the remarkable small figure reliefs applied in gesso inbetween each panel (possibly a unique survival). The base of the rood screen also survives with its painted iconography, which includes yet another rarity in the depiction of Christ's transfiguration amongst the figures of saints.
Westhall church is a real treat and certainly deserves to be better known, a place of much charm and great interest that was happily normally open and welcoming to visitors in pre-Covid days. For more on the church see Simon's entry on his Suffolk Churches site below (it is mainly thanks to his recommendation that I came here, and much appreciated it was too).