| St Andrew's Church, Westhall | |
|---|---|
 | |
 St Andrew's Church, Westhall | |
| OS grid reference | TM4232580434 |
| Location | Church Hill, Westhall, Suffolk IP19 8NU |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Churchmanship | Central Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 1 September 1953 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Administration | |
| Province | Canterbury |
| Diocese | St Edmundsbury and Ipswich |
| Archdeaconry | Suffolk |
| Deanery | Waveney and Blyth |
| Parish | Westhall |
| Laity | |
| Churchwarden | Helen Holmes |
St Andrew's Church is located in the village ofWesthall nearHalesworth. It is an activeAnglicanparish church in the deanery ofWaveney and Blyth, part of the archdeaconry of Suffolk, and theDiocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.[1]
The church is of flint construction and comprises a nave, southaisle chancel and tower.[2]The church has a non-standard design and layout. The tower, dating from the 13th century with a post-Reformation bell-stage, splits into both a northern and easterly direction. The eastern section being aNorman construct, while to the north is a large 13th-century thatchednave containing 19th-century pews. Beyond the nave is a 14th-centurychancel.[3]The unusual layout is due to the church having been extended from the original Norman building and the original church becoming what is now the church's south aisle.The eastern entrance dates from around 1100 and stonework including depictions of humans and animals including bird head grotesques and human-animal hybrids as well as unfinished faces are still visible.[2][3]
Located in the nave is a font with eight panels, seven of which are sacramental panels depicting theSacraments of the Catholic Church. The panel depicting theEucharistic sacrament was used as the cover illustration forEamon Duffy's bookThe Stripping of the Altars. The eighth panel shows the baptism of Christ.[3][4]: 63
The nave also contains a painted screen depicting various saints.[4]: 45–46 The south side of the screen shows the SaintsEtheldreda,Sitha,Agnes,Brigit of Kildare,Catherine of Alexandria,Dorothy,Margaret of Antioch andApollonia.[3][a]
The north side of the screen contains images ofSaint James,St Leonard,Saint Michael andSaint Clement. Alongside these images on the north side are depictions of theTransfiguration of Jesus. Christ on a mountain top between the two figures of Moses and Elijah. It is the only surviving medieval screen representation of the Transfiguration in England.The final panel on the north side depictsSaint Anthony of Egypt.[4]: 171
Located on the north wall is a painting ofSaint Christopher and other figures includingMoses.Other wall paintings include a flower-surrounded consecration cross beside the south door and a niche alcove in the eastern side of a window in the south wall. Alongside the painted niche and consecration cross there are surviving traces of a large painting consisting of seven large roundels surrounded in leafwork.[3]
In the south-east corner of the church is the tomb of Nicholas Bohun (1602) which includes a brass plaque. On the south wall is the coat of arms ofGeorge III.[5]In the chancel are located the remains of two Chalice brasses. The chancel ceiling depicts theHoly Trinity, withGod the Father holding the CrucifiedChrist between his knees.
St Andrew's Church waslisted at Grade I on 1 September 1953.[6]
