St Mary And St Peter's Church, Barham
History
A church is recorded as being within the village of Barham in the Domesday Book. Architectural features in the tower of long-and-short work (or quoins), which is typical of Anglo-Saxon architecture, suggests the church dates from Saxon times. It was known as St Mary from at least 1538, when the parishioners included the inhabitants of Barham Green. In 1975, the parish extended to include the village of Claydon, and when St Peter's Church in Claydon was officially made redundant, St Mary was retitled as St Mary and St Peter.
Monuments
The best-known monument in the church is that of the Henry Moore statue of Madonna and Child originally held at St Peter's Church, Claydon. Crafted as a war memorial in commemoration for those in the village who died in the Second World War it was moved to St Mary after the closure of St Peter.
Other monuments and brasswork have been part of the church but were removed or destroyed over the course of its history.
In the chancel of the church were monuments to Jon Southwell, grandfather to Thomas Bedingfield as well as a tomb used for the burial of an unnamed inhabitant of the local estate of Shrubland Hall.
Current status
St Mary and St Peter's Church was listed at Grade I on 9 December 1955.
Communion services, using the Book of Common Worship are offered on every Sunday morning at 8am except on the fifth Sunday of a month.
On the first Sunday of each month a shorter communion service based on the Book of Common Worship is held at 10am, on the second and fourth Sundays a full communion service is held at 10am.
On the third Sunday of each month at 10am a community worship service is held. This service is aimed at a wider age range of the congregation including families with children, adults and those with little or no experience of the Church. The services are often run by community groups or local charitable organisations otherwise unaffiliated with the Church itself.
Where a 5th Sunday falls within a month a family communion service is held at one of the three parishes served by the same parish grouping. One in three of these is held at St Mary and St Peter; the others being held at St Mary's Church, Great Blakenham or St Peter's Church, Henley.
Notable clergy
William Kirby 1782–1850 Entomologist
See also
References
- ^ "Listing on A Church Near You". A Church Near You. The Church of England. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
- ^ "Domesday book online". Domesday Book. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
- ^ "Barham, St Mary & St Peter - General History of Church". achurchnearyou.com.
- ^ "Barham". onesuffolk.net.
- ^ "About us". A Church Near You. Church of England. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
- ^ "Madonna and Child". Henry-Moore.org. The Henry Moore Foundation. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
- ^ Freeman, John. Life of the Rev. William Kirby. p. 29. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
- ^ Freeman, John. Life of the Rev. William Kirby. p. 28. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
- ^ "British listed buildings". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
- ^ "Services and Events". A Church Near You. Church of England. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
- ^ "Cambridge Alumni Database". ACAD. Cambridge university. Retrieved 29 August 2016.