St Andrews is looked after on a regular basis by Suzanne Webb our wonderful local key holder however, on Tuesday 12th May, Coffee, Clean & Chat moved to Illington, St Andrew for the church’s Annual Spring Clean. Once again we were joined by a willing group of volunteers who tackled the (very many) cobwebs and left the church clean, welcoming with the distinct aroma of beeswax.
Very much a rural church surrounded by Breckland farmland, St Andrew’s has been in the care of the Norfolk Churches Trust since November 1996. It was at this time the Trust carried out work on the tower, re-roofed the nave and chancel and re-glazed and repaired the east window. Though well looked after by the local community further repairs are now required. The walls now need repointing at low level and the installation of new gutters, downpipes and drains to ensure water is taken away.
St Andrew’ has a distinctive Perpendicular tower, with chequer work in the buttresses, which is replicated in the parapet. Above the west window sound holes, quatrefoils within quatrefoils (translated as four leaves). The fabric of the nave is Norman. There is also a Norman doorway, and lancet window pictured here along with the evidence of arches in the south wall, all that remain of an arcade that linked the nave to a vanished south aisle. One of the arches has a 12th Century grotesque corbel.
It is not just the history in the fabric of the building that we find out on these days, we have been very fortunate on our coffee, clean & chat mornings to meet people who have a personal history attached to our churches, and Illington is no exception.
We were joined by Christine who was married in the church in October 1972, she shared with us photographs from her wedding day. Having grown up locally she wanted to get married in the church, much to her mother’s delight as like us, she had to clean the church! See the chancel decorated with autumnal flowers from Christine’s mother’s garden for the wedding.
She also shared with us a framed picture created recently by one of her bridesmaids on that day of the gate to the porch. Christine could see a heart in the metalwork, which is very appropriate considering the celebration that took place within.
Thank you Christine it is these personal stories that really make our churches come alive. If you have a story to share on one of our churches, please do get in touch.
So, why not join us at our next Coffee, Clean & Chat, Tuesday 2nd June at Barmer, All Saints, PE31 8SR What3words ///habits.thousands.pave
