Church of the Holy Innocents, Great Barton, Suffolk
Heading south, Great Barton is the last village before arriving at Bury St. Edmunds, and the village itself is divided by the busy road. I'm sure, once it was a lovely village, but now trucks and cars thunder past, mostly ignoring the speed limits.
As you leave the centre of the village, past the old village school, there is a sign pointing down a leafy lane directing the visitor to the church. I had seen that sign many times and almost tempted to go down to investigate.
You have to travel about a mile down the lane, past an old manor house now a business centre, until you come to Holy Innocents on the right, a wonderful knapped flint church, glistening in the weak autumn sunshine.
First thing I noticed was the white stone used for the structure between flints, created a chequerboard pattern, which was very impressive. But when I mentioned this to the warden who was inside, she said she had never noticed, but after leaving came back to tell me she could see the pattern now.
Most eyecatching for me were the multitude of payer-kneelers on the shelves of the pews, creating a colourful display, contrasting with the austere structure of the church. Light streamed through the vibrant Victorian windows, which to my eye are of a very good standard indeed.
Holy Innocents seems to be open every day.
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It had been so long since I last visited Great Barton that I really did not remember the village at all. It is a large place, a bit of Bury St Edmunds broken off really, only the railway line separating it from the Moreton Hall Estate. The church sits a good half mile from the village, down a narrow dusty lane. A large hare sat on the road in front of me as I left the village, and loped along just ahead in no particular hurry until we reached the church gates, where he turned and looked at me, and then preceded me into the graveyard. It was hard not to imagine that he was an omen of some kind.
Holy Innocents is one of those spectacular 15th Century rebuilds that East Anglia did so well, and is all the more so for being so remote. Mortlock calls it 'handsome', which is about right. The big tower rides high above the clerestory and aisles, the long, earlier chancel extending beyond. It has much in common with Rougham, just across the A14. Windows to aisle and clerestory create something of the wall of glass effect so beloved of the later Middle Ages. Unusually, there is a tomb recess in the outside of the south wall of the chancel which was possibly for the donor of the chancel.
The 15th Century south porch carries a later sun dial with the inscription periunt et imputantor, which means something like 'they perish and are judged'.
You step inside to a big church. Despite the windows of the south aisle being filled with coloured glass, the church is full of airy light and space. This is accentuated by the hugeness of the chancel arch, which goes with the 13th Century chancel - that is to say, nave and aisles were built to scale with it as a starting point. In such a great space the furnishings do not intrude, and they are pretty much all the work of the 19th Century restoration here. They are a good counterpoint to the spectacular glass of the south aisle. The first window is by the William Morris workshop, with the figures by Edward Burne-Jones of Faith Hope and Charity. All three are shown, unusually, as men. Faith is the Roman centurion at the foot of the cross, Hope is Joshua and Charity is the Good Samaritan.
Beside it is a window which is somewhat bizarre. A number of Suffolk churches have windows to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887, but none, I think, are quite like this one. The stately queen sits with a look of indigestion upon her face among angels carrying her crown and the Bible. She is flanked by two rather unlikely fellow monarchs, the Queen of Sheba with a snake of temptation and her motto Wisdom is better than rubies and a positively louche Queen Esther with If I perish, I perish. Above Victoria's head in a scroll is inscribed In her tongue is the Law of Kindness from the Book of Proverbs. All in all, a remarkable piece.
Ther other window in the aisle depicts the Ascension flanked by the Nativity and the Resurrection. The Nativity scene is particularly good. It is unsigned, but I wondered if it was by AK Nicholson.
But for the oddest window of all, you have to step up into the chancel. Here, on the south side, is another depiction of the Resurrection and the Ascension. These appear in the upper part, and in the lower part are the Disciples watching the Ascension and the Roman soldiers asleep at the Resurrection. However, these lower parts have been put under the wrong upper parts, and the sleeping soldiers are missing the Ascension and the Disciples are watching the Resurrection! Such a blunder can only have happened in the studio, when the cartoons were being laid out before the glass was made.
Holy Innocents is an interesting dedication, and an unusual one for an Anglican church, especially a medieval one. Bear in mind that, in the Middle Ages, churches were dedicated to feast days, especially of Saints, and not the Saints themselves. Holy Innocents is celebrated on December 28th, and remembers Herod's massacre of the babies of Bethlehem. It would have been a more common dedication in medieval times. Here, it is probably a relic of Anglo-catholic days, and the 19th century revival of church dedications; but it may also be the original dedication of the church. It is quite clear that this church enjoys a High Church character this day, and is one of the few village churches in the Bury area where you can light a candle when you say a prayer.
Like all good High Church parishes, Great Barton keeps Holy Innocents open every day, and there is even a Fair Trade shop where you can make your purchases and perform a work of mercy at the same time, a fine opportunity.
Back outside, the churchyard is one of the best in Suffolk to potter about in. It is vast, with a good 300 years-worth of headstones. While exploring, you might notice that the very north-east corner of the churchyard is cordoned off by a low brick wall, and contains but a small number of graves. They are to the Bunbury family, who are also remembered with mural monuments in the chancel of the church. The Bunburys had lived at Barton Hall, but it was destroyed by fire in 1914. Sir Henry Bunbury achieved a place in popular history in the early 19th century when he was the foreign office official who had the job of breaking the news to Napoleon that he was to be exiled to St Helena. The school history books that speak of the defeat of Napoleon have long since been consigned to the skips. Now, all that remains is the light summer breeze in the corner of a Suffolk churchyard.
Simon Knott, May 2013
www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/gbarton.htm
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The Church is dedicated to the Holy Innocents. These were the Jewish boys under the age of two who were massacred by King Herod. This was after the visit from the wise men in search of the king of the Jews. These children are probably the first martyrs to suffer for our Lord. All Christian churches are built to oppose this injustice. Holy Innocents Great Barton is one of only five churches in the country dedicated to the Holy Innocents. It is most unusual for a mediaeval church.
Wool was a very important industry in East Anglia. Woolpit and Lavenham are local churches built from the proceeds of the trade. Gt. Barton was on the edge of the wool producing area. 'Dog Pews' were put in the Church in honour of the dogs who helped the shepherds during the years when wool was a very important product of the county. The shepherd's dogs were very important to them, and far too valuable to leave outside while the shepherds were in church. The Dog Pews were situated in the back of the church, and the shepherds were encouraged to bring their dogs in with them. The shepherds were also allowed to sleep (with their dogs) in the porch. These pews can now be found at the front of the church and are one of the many items around Holy Innocents that tell a fascinating story of the church's history.
Great Barton is believed to have been a settlement of the Iceni tribe before the Roman occupation of England. It is believed that Barton mere was occupied by early lake-dwellers. Records mention the parish in the time of Edward the Confessor, however it was not until about 950 AD that the parish was given into the care of the abbey of Bury St Edmunds. The abbey held it until the monastery was dissolved in 1539. It is almost certain that a Saxon Church existed here- it is probable that this was a simple wooden building rebuilt in stone by the Normans. In 1086, the Domesday Book states that the church possessed 50 acres of land, valued at £20. The chancel was erected and the font was installed in the late 13th century. These are the earliest parts of the present church. Over the centuries, various additions were made to the church when funds became available. It was the job of the Rector to maintain the chancel, whereas other parts were maintained by the parishioners. In the 15th century they erected the aisles, clerestory and tower. Much money was left to the church for restoration in the 15th century, including from the Rector of that time, William Howerdly. The following two centuries saw the destruction of many parts of the church due to the Reformation and Puritan purge. At this time the majority of the angels in the roof were destroyed. Their remains can still be seen today. Little work was done on the church until the Victorian era when major restoration work began.
The list of incumbents goes back to 1320 when the parish was in the diocese of Norwich. In 1823 it was in the Diocese of Ely, and in 1914 it became a member of the newly formed Diocese of St. Edmundsbury and Ipswich.
Church of the Holy Innocents, Great Barton, Suffolk
Heading south, Great Barton is the last village before arriving at Bury St. Edmunds, and the village itself is divided by the busy road. I'm sure, once it was a lovely village, but now trucks and cars thunder past, mostly ignoring the speed limits.
As you leave the centre of the village, past the old village school, there is a sign pointing down a leafy lane directing the visitor to the church. I had seen that sign many times and almost tempted to go down to investigate.
You have to travel about a mile down the lane, past an old manor house now a business centre, until you come to Holy Innocents on the right, a wonderful knapped flint church, glistening in the weak autumn sunshine.
First thing I noticed was the white stone used for the structure between flints, created a chequerboard pattern, which was very impressive. But when I mentioned this to the warden who was inside, she said she had never noticed, but after leaving came back to tell me she could see the pattern now.
Most eyecatching for me were the multitude of payer-kneelers on the shelves of the pews, creating a colourful display, contrasting with the austere structure of the church. Light streamed through the vibrant Victorian windows, which to my eye are of a very good standard indeed.
Holy Innocents seems to be open every day.
------------------------------------------
It had been so long since I last visited Great Barton that I really did not remember the village at all. It is a large place, a bit of Bury St Edmunds broken off really, only the railway line separating it from the Moreton Hall Estate. The church sits a good half mile from the village, down a narrow dusty lane. A large hare sat on the road in front of me as I left the village, and loped along just ahead in no particular hurry until we reached the church gates, where he turned and looked at me, and then preceded me into the graveyard. It was hard not to imagine that he was an omen of some kind.
Holy Innocents is one of those spectacular 15th Century rebuilds that East Anglia did so well, and is all the more so for being so remote. Mortlock calls it 'handsome', which is about right. The big tower rides high above the clerestory and aisles, the long, earlier chancel extending beyond. It has much in common with Rougham, just across the A14. Windows to aisle and clerestory create something of the wall of glass effect so beloved of the later Middle Ages. Unusually, there is a tomb recess in the outside of the south wall of the chancel which was possibly for the donor of the chancel.
The 15th Century south porch carries a later sun dial with the inscription periunt et imputantor, which means something like 'they perish and are judged'.
You step inside to a big church. Despite the windows of the south aisle being filled with coloured glass, the church is full of airy light and space. This is accentuated by the hugeness of the chancel arch, which goes with the 13th Century chancel - that is to say, nave and aisles were built to scale with it as a starting point. In such a great space the furnishings do not intrude, and they are pretty much all the work of the 19th Century restoration here. They are a good counterpoint to the spectacular glass of the south aisle. The first window is by the William Morris workshop, with the figures by Edward Burne-Jones of Faith Hope and Charity. All three are shown, unusually, as men. Faith is the Roman centurion at the foot of the cross, Hope is Joshua and Charity is the Good Samaritan.
Beside it is a window which is somewhat bizarre. A number of Suffolk churches have windows to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887, but none, I think, are quite like this one. The stately queen sits with a look of indigestion upon her face among angels carrying her crown and the Bible. She is flanked by two rather unlikely fellow monarchs, the Queen of Sheba with a snake of temptation and her motto Wisdom is better than rubies and a positively louche Queen Esther with If I perish, I perish. Above Victoria's head in a scroll is inscribed In her tongue is the Law of Kindness from the Book of Proverbs. All in all, a remarkable piece.
Ther other window in the aisle depicts the Ascension flanked by the Nativity and the Resurrection. The Nativity scene is particularly good. It is unsigned, but I wondered if it was by AK Nicholson.
But for the oddest window of all, you have to step up into the chancel. Here, on the south side, is another depiction of the Resurrection and the Ascension. These appear in the upper part, and in the lower part are the Disciples watching the Ascension and the Roman soldiers asleep at the Resurrection. However, these lower parts have been put under the wrong upper parts, and the sleeping soldiers are missing the Ascension and the Disciples are watching the Resurrection! Such a blunder can only have happened in the studio, when the cartoons were being laid out before the glass was made.
Holy Innocents is an interesting dedication, and an unusual one for an Anglican church, especially a medieval one. Bear in mind that, in the Middle Ages, churches were dedicated to feast days, especially of Saints, and not the Saints themselves. Holy Innocents is celebrated on December 28th, and remembers Herod's massacre of the babies of Bethlehem. It would have been a more common dedication in medieval times. Here, it is probably a relic of Anglo-catholic days, and the 19th century revival of church dedications; but it may also be the original dedication of the church. It is quite clear that this church enjoys a High Church character this day, and is one of the few village churches in the Bury area where you can light a candle when you say a prayer.
Like all good High Church parishes, Great Barton keeps Holy Innocents open every day, and there is even a Fair Trade shop where you can make your purchases and perform a work of mercy at the same time, a fine opportunity.
Back outside, the churchyard is one of the best in Suffolk to potter about in. It is vast, with a good 300 years-worth of headstones. While exploring, you might notice that the very north-east corner of the churchyard is cordoned off by a low brick wall, and contains but a small number of graves. They are to the Bunbury family, who are also remembered with mural monuments in the chancel of the church. The Bunburys had lived at Barton Hall, but it was destroyed by fire in 1914. Sir Henry Bunbury achieved a place in popular history in the early 19th century when he was the foreign office official who had the job of breaking the news to Napoleon that he was to be exiled to St Helena. The school history books that speak of the defeat of Napoleon have long since been consigned to the skips. Now, all that remains is the light summer breeze in the corner of a Suffolk churchyard.
Simon Knott, May 2013
www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/gbarton.htm
----------------------------------------
The Church is dedicated to the Holy Innocents. These were the Jewish boys under the age of two who were massacred by King Herod. This was after the visit from the wise men in search of the king of the Jews. These children are probably the first martyrs to suffer for our Lord. All Christian churches are built to oppose this injustice. Holy Innocents Great Barton is one of only five churches in the country dedicated to the Holy Innocents. It is most unusual for a mediaeval church.
Wool was a very important industry in East Anglia. Woolpit and Lavenham are local churches built from the proceeds of the trade. Gt. Barton was on the edge of the wool producing area. 'Dog Pews' were put in the Church in honour of the dogs who helped the shepherds during the years when wool was a very important product of the county. The shepherd's dogs were very important to them, and far too valuable to leave outside while the shepherds were in church. The Dog Pews were situated in the back of the church, and the shepherds were encouraged to bring their dogs in with them. The shepherds were also allowed to sleep (with their dogs) in the porch. These pews can now be found at the front of the church and are one of the many items around Holy Innocents that tell a fascinating story of the church's history.
Great Barton is believed to have been a settlement of the Iceni tribe before the Roman occupation of England. It is believed that Barton mere was occupied by early lake-dwellers. Records mention the parish in the time of Edward the Confessor, however it was not until about 950 AD that the parish was given into the care of the abbey of Bury St Edmunds. The abbey held it until the monastery was dissolved in 1539. It is almost certain that a Saxon Church existed here- it is probable that this was a simple wooden building rebuilt in stone by the Normans. In 1086, the Domesday Book states that the church possessed 50 acres of land, valued at £20. The chancel was erected and the font was installed in the late 13th century. These are the earliest parts of the present church. Over the centuries, various additions were made to the church when funds became available. It was the job of the Rector to maintain the chancel, whereas other parts were maintained by the parishioners. In the 15th century they erected the aisles, clerestory and tower. Much money was left to the church for restoration in the 15th century, including from the Rector of that time, William Howerdly. The following two centuries saw the destruction of many parts of the church due to the Reformation and Puritan purge. At this time the majority of the angels in the roof were destroyed. Their remains can still be seen today. Little work was done on the church until the Victorian era when major restoration work began.
The list of incumbents goes back to 1320 when the parish was in the diocese of Norwich. In 1823 it was in the Diocese of Ely, and in 1914 it became a member of the newly formed Diocese of St. Edmundsbury and Ipswich.