Boxford - memories.

Today I made a visit to the village where I used to live - Boxford in Suffolk. My aim on this visit, was to take a few photographs of the lovely Church.

The origins of the Boxford church are unclear, but there is indirect reference to it in the Domesday Book (1086) via an entry for the Manor of Kodenham, which lay in what is now the Parish of Boxford. In that reference the church is recorded as having 20 acres of Glebe Land, an area which remained constant right up to the twentieth century. By 1286 the village is recorded as Boxford and paying dues to the Abbots of Bury St. Edmunds. The boundaries with the parishes of Groton and Edwardstone, to the north and west respectively, used to run to within a few meters of the northern boundary of the churchyard. The church therefore probably served the scattered populations to the south. However, with the growth of the wool industry, Boxford expanded north across the River Box into the area now occupied by Broad Street and the bottom end of Swan Street.

The north porch is from the 14th century and is quite rare in that it is almost entirely made of timber. Now much worn, and showing its age, the porch is nonetheless a rather moving testament to the longevity of English oak!

This wooden porch has been called one of the most interesting 14th-century porches still in existence. It is not spectacular, but rather an interesting example of rural ecclesiastical architecture in the medieval period.

The south porch is regarded as one of the county's grandest 15th century affairs, in bright stone. Six elegant niches line the top, flanking a larger seventh. In the spandrels are an angel and the Blessed Virgin, depicting the Annunciation.

The south door of St Mary's

There are medieval frescos of Angels at the incarnation above the chancel arch and of Edmund King and Martyr in the Lady Chapel. Sadly, all the others have been lost during redecoration of various eras, especially the 1970s.

Perhaps the most memorable feature of the nave is the striking 17th century font cover, which opens out like the one at Bramford. Inside are painted ribbons with quotes from St John's Gospel. Two are taken from Nicodemus' question and Christ's answer. The other is from the Last Supper, Christ's answer when Peter baulks at Christ washing his feet.

A winter image of St Mary`s Church

Boxford village sign is an interesting assortment. At the top we have two apples and cereal heads. The apples relate to the fruit farm and the Copella brand name. The cereals, for farming in the area. Below is the church with a tree and the River Box from which Boxford got its name. The sheep represent Boxford during the wealthy times of the wool trade. The smock mill with annular sails was short-lived as they were destroyed in 1881 after only 20 years' service and were replaced by shuttered sails with which we are more familiar.

The watermill was located very close to the village centre. The man with the motorbike complete with lion in the sidecar, is Tornado Smith of Wall of Death fame. He lived at the White Hart Inn with his parents. He was well known in the thirties for riding the wall of Death with a lioness called Briton on the motorcycle. The lioness is buried in front of the White Hart.

A couple of houses opposite the church. These are just two of the many beautiful houses in Boxford.

  Index of posts