Suckley Church

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The Parish Church of St John the Baptist, Suckley, Worcestershire Priest-in-charge: Reverend Anne Potter (01886 832355)

This church was completed in 1879 and enshrines many features of a church which stood on the same site since early Norman times.

It is built in Cradley stone, from nearby Ridgeway Cross, with Bath stone dressing.

Outside the church on the south front are the remains of a mediaeval preaching cross, the base scarred with grooves, probably made by the sharpening of arrows at the compulsory archery practices.

Entering the church by the south door you see on the left the interesting Norman Tub Font, dating from about 1150-1200, with seventeenth century domed cover.

The pulpit is Jacobean, about 300 years old. On the left of the chancel, outside the altar rails, is an Easter Sepulchre , an archway with corbel decoration above it and a brass to a former rector who died in 1666, Thomas Littleton, an ancestor of the present Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire, Viscount Cobham.

To the right of the altar is a piscina, also very ancient.

The church Communion Plate consists of a silver chalice and paten fitting together, the date given as 1571.

Several of the stained glass windows feature a wheatsheaf corner design which indicates that they are by Charles Kempe.

In the tower is a ring of six bells from the famous Rudhall foundry at Gloucester cast around 1710.

The church clock was installed in 1911 and paid for by the parishoners of that day, in memory of Mr. E.H. Hill, founder of charities and a great benefactor of the village. The distinctive Tennyson Chimes were added later, in 1919.

A picture of the old church can be seen in the vestry.

Adapted from the leaflet produced for Suckley Flower Festival in 1968.

Suckley's old Church. This early photograph was presumably taken in the late 19th century, shortly before the old Church burnt down and the present church was built.

 

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT A VISION
OF THE FUTURE FOR SUCKLEY CHURCH

 

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