Church of St Edmund, King & Martyr Southwold
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Down the centuries More to discover at St Edmund’s Church of Thank you for making time to visit St Edmund, King & Martyr. St Edmund, AD 856 Do spend a few minutes walking round the outside Edmund, a devout Christian, became King of East Anglia at the age of 15. He fought the of the church to fully appreciate what a truly King & Martyr Danes but was defeated and shot through with magnificent building it is. arrows before being beheaded. The Abbey of 1202 Bury St Edmunds housed his shrine. Southwold Bishop of Norwich John de Grey 1799 St Edmund’s is built in the soaring decreed Southwold should have a perpendicular style of the ‘chapel of ease’, under the With the restoration of the 15th century with its emphasis on patronage of St Edmund, King and monarchy, things went back to vertical lines. It is 144 feet long and Martyr, to make it ‘easier’ to take how they were before the Civil 56 feet wide with a majestic tower of the sacrament without travelling War. But the ‘preaching box’ 100 feet. to St Margaret’s at Reydon. interior with a wooden gallery masking the tower arch and Leaving the main entrance, turn to 1430 windows half bricked up to admire the two-storey porch with conserve heat, made St Edmund’s its 20th century statue of After the chapel burned a gloomy place to step into. St Edmund in the niche above the down, bequests poured in from door. It may once have contained townsfolk to help fund the 1849 an effigy of Our Lady, reflecting the magnificent church you see today. monogram MR It took 60 years to complete and Major repairs and restorations at the base of featured many colourful and visual began, including removal of 17th the porch. Note aids that helped a largely illiterate century box pews and galleries. how each letter population better understand Roof angels were re-embodied, of MARIA Christianity. stained glass installed, the is superimposed sanctuary steps raised and one on another. 1534 candles placed on the new altar. The Protestant Reformation 1929 Turn right to appreciate the full glory of the west face of the church as shown in England, following Henry on the cover of this guide. Pause to admire the outstanding VIII’s break with Rome, called for Architect F.E. Howard designed a workmanship. The shiny flint dominated church building in East Anglia in churches to be ‘purified’ of new font cover, lectern and altar the 15th century since no other stone was readily available in the quantity traditional catholic elements. reredos and re-painted the required. Note the inscription over the vast west window which, The rood loft, with its depiction pre-Reformation pulpit. Sadly he translated, means ‘Saint Edmund pray for us’. of Christ crucified, was hauled died before it was all completed. The tower houses a ring of eight bells, the oldest two dating back to the early down with shrines and statues 16th century. One is inscribed: ‘In wealth and in woe praise God’. 1943 smashed and brasses More land was added to the churchyard in 1458, given by the Prior of plundered. A WW2 bomb blew out the Thetford in return for annual rent of a single rose placed on the altar each stained glass, including the east year on St John the Baptist’s day, 24th June. 1643 window, later replaced by Sir Ninian Comper in a stunning The high Suffolk-born William Dowsing, design depicting the story of appointed by puritan Oliver St Edmund. Light had taken over life Cromwell as ‘Commissioner from darkness. for the destruction of monuments of idolatry and 2015 As you walk round the building, look up to see angels interspersed with roses and grotesque faces just below the parapet. superstition’, took down angels A new lead roof and a major and cherubim as well as The mouths of gargoyles act as spouts for protecting the building from rain re-ordering has created a truly and the faces often reflect the humour of the 15th century stone masons. destroying the font cover and splendid space for worship and over 100 ‘superstitious’ images. They may have been based on friends, relatives or even a community use. demanding foreman! Realworkstudio.com 2019 Font Southwold Jack Funerary hatchment 1 2 4 11 Rood screen This 15th Hatchment means heraldic achievement and The baptismal font The rood screen century this one was used at the funeral of James marks the start of the is the glory of the figure Robinson in 1836. Hatchments were carried in journey of faith. The church and one of depicts a the funeral procession and hung on the dead seven sacraments, the most highly soldier of person’s house before being transferred to the that included regarded of its kind. the House church. ‘Resurgam’ means ‘I shall rise again.’ baptism and Dating back to of York matrimony, were 1480, it stretches and dates hacked off by Tudor across the width of the building. Angels feature to the north, from the 5 Masons’ marks reformers and the 6 Royal arms apostles in the centre, and prophets to the south, each section by Wars of the medieval cover was Over 70 masons’ marks Royal arms were a different artists, probably Flemish. The woodwork tracery and Roses - the destroyed in 1643 appear throughout the symbol of a gesso work is largely untouched but the faces were scratched out by period in which the church by puritan soldier church. The two Rs, monarch’s Dowsing with some retouched in 1874 and cleaned in 1930. was built. He was designed William Dowsing. It appearing separately authority and began The screen no longer supports the rood and loft, destroyed by to strike a bell at hours and was replaced by on the north pillar of the tower to appear in churches after Henry the Tudor reformers, which would have been accessed by the quarters and today he rings F.E. Howard in 1935 arch, are thought to be initials VIII became supreme head of the narrow stairway in the Trinity Chapel. the bell at the start and is one of the of master mason of Church of England. They often of services. tallest in the country. Dunwich Richard replaced the rood (3). This Russell, also responsible recently-restored example is a 12 Choir stalls and chancel benches for St Edmund’s. 1783 coat of arms of George III. Late 15th century carvings on the choir stalls are some of the richest in Suffolk. Note the profiles of 6 7 kneeling donors on the bench ends, the 7 Walnut chest 8 Pulpit misericord seats and, most of all, the curious 10 The richly carved figures on the arm rests. Graffitti on the 5 A knight 2 8 12 hunting decorated 16th century bench fronts to the east of the stalls, 3 14 13 a wild pulpit, with its suggest the work of parish school pupils. 1 9 11 boar is trumpet stem, featured is rare in dating on this from before the 4 15 handsome walnut chest Reformation. 14 High altar and reredos which is at least 50 years The high altar older than the church! The bright colouring was is lit by the the work of great side 9 Lectern architect windows and, F.E. Howard, in 1873, was raised to the height 3 Roof F.E. Howard pupil of Sir intended by the original medieval wanted the Ninian Comper, builders. The reredos is another Look up to see lectern to in 1930. design of F.E. Howard and portrays how the wooden harmonise Christ’s ministry of blessing, healing, nave roof with its with the teaching, pardoning and serving. angels on the medieval hammerbeams, Organ pulpit he had 10 13 East window transforms to a freshly gilded. A modern organ console of 1966 The east window richly decorated It features 15 Lady Chapel can be seen behind the pulpit. The displays St Edmund’s mid section before figures of the The quiet space of the Lady Chapel organ itself was built by Walkers trial, his martyrdom the pattern changes evangelists. enables you to enjoy the daylight that in 1887 and the fine Gothic-style and his rising in glory, again on the painted chancel ceiling. The mid section is known as pours in through the clear window, organ loft all in dazzling colour. the canopy of honour which would have shielded the rood - a huge write a prayer, light a candle or simply This is a brief outline of what featuring It was the last work wooden cross featuring Christ crucified. It has since been destroyed sit for a while to you can discover in St Edmund’s. angels, can be of Sir Ninian Comper by 16th century reformers although the screen remains (11). reflect on your If you would like to find out seen above and replaced the glass The roof itself is an exquisite example of the work of medieval visit to this more, you can purchase a guide the chancel that was blown out by craftsmen at a time when churches were ablaze with colour. beautiful church. from the shop at the west end of benches (12). a bomb in 1943. It was accurately restored in 1867. the church..