IMPORTANT - Please DO NOT drive to the cache along the nearby track north of the church as this is a PRIVATE TRACK (and clearly marked as such). Please park where indicated and walk along the footpath which starts south of the church at right angles to the A145.
If you have driven very much in East Suffolk, then you have probably seen St John the Baptist. It stands high up above the road between Beccles and the A12. The tower is 15th century, and is most elegant, despite its later patching in red-brick. It is set into considerable relief by one of East Suffolk's prettiest red-brick porches.
The graveyard is a fine one, sloping away eastwards, and is worth a wander. But the real reason for coming here is to go inside, because this is one of the most interesting and delightful small churches in the area, and apparently little-visited by church explorers.
The carved bench ends on the front pews are extraordinary and the chancel glass is very good indeed. The east window contains scatterings of coloured glass from the last five centuries, set in clear glass to highlight it. In the north wall, there is a lancet containing unusual enamelled glass, a memorial to Mary Kilner who died in 1858.
Elsewhere in the nave, you'll find a gorgeous pipe organ, painted gaily in the 18th century manner, a fine medieval font, and that curiosity of this part of the county, a banner stave locker. There are twelve churches in the Lowestoft area that have them, and their use appears to be for containing the wooden poles used to carry images and crucifixes in medieval processions.
This parish is famous for the Shadingfield altar cloth, a rare and unusual lace-trimmed textile that was given to the church in 1632. This was at the time when Archbishop Laud was trying to reintroduce sacramental practices back into the Church of England, including the re-establishment of altars in chancels. The move fell to the fury of the puritans; Laud was executed, the altars were removed, and the pulpit became the main focus of Anglican worship for the next 200 years. The altar cloth itself is now on view a few miles off in Beccles Museum.
(Thank you to www.suffolkchurches.co.uk for the information above)
There is a car park on the opposite side of the road to the church entrance - please be considerate to other users and take great care when crossing to the church. This stretch of road is meant to be a 30mph zone but cars often whizz round the bend at great speed.
You are looking for a small screw-top pot large enough for small trackables. Please replace exactly as found.
If anybody would like to expand to this series please do, I would just ask that you could let Sadexploration know first so he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication.
There is also a Church Micro Stats & Information page found via the Bookmark list