Holy Trinity
Barsham, Suffolk
You will find the attractive small church of St Michael & All Angels set on the valley side of the River Waveney in the Norfolk Broads, and above the main part of the village of Geldeston.
The church has a round tower and is constructed of flint with limestone dressings. It dates from the 14th to 15th centuries with additions in the1860s. The church has some high quality internal and external carvings from both the medieval and Victorian periods.
The 15th century porch is decorated with the Instruments of the Passion. By the north door is an unusual stone stoop set into the wall for holy water. Windows include medieval head stops, with Victorian carvings of flowers around the chancel windows.
The nave provides a good example of an East Anglian octagonal font with smiling lions round the stem, and is dedicated to Elizabeth & William Garvey. Elizabeth was daughter and heir of Sir Ralph Bigot. In the nave the scissor braced roof has some characterful medieval head corbels in wood. Rood screen stairs still exist.
The chancel and north transept were rebuilt by architect Thomas Penrice in 1864. Detailed church records list the designers/craftsmen of furnishings in the chancel. The high quality stone carvings in the chancel are by John Philip of London: those on the north side represent sin e.g. The serpent and apple, the law, and the gospels. The carved flowers on the south side represent virtues e.g. single and double snowdrops for ‘Hope’.
The colourful 20th century stained glass (1957) east window by Leonard Walker RA depicts the Risen Christ.
There are some fine embroidered kneelers, in particular, those alongside the altar rail depicting Noah’s Arc complete with animals and the arc itself .
There is a unique war memorial in alabaster to Robert Packe who was born in Port Stanley, the Falkland Isles. Robert died in 1918 from a crash in the North Sea when flying a Sopworth Camel from Great Yarmouth Royal Naval Air Station. His parents commissioned two identical memorial plaques, the one in Geldeston church and the second in Port Stanley Cathedral.
In the churchyard there is a rare World War I Memorial decorated with the crests of various regiments. The pretty church yard itself forms a wildlife site with wildflowers giving a good display, particularly in the spring and early summer.
