Little Cornard, Suffolk

Having left Castle Hedingham behind I resumed my planned trip intending to visit Newton Green but my tom tom took me to the the middle of nowhere and refused to recognise Newton as a place at all. After driving aimlessly around for a bit I espied a church in the distance and headed for it. The church turned out to be All Saints and it was not until I was driving home that I found Newton and its church but I had no time to stop so that will have to wait.

All Saints location is its big draw sitting as it does on top of a hill with views across the Stour valley. Sadly the interior is a massive disappointment having had a Victorian makeover to within an inch of its life, although there is an interesting modern window in the nave which includes an old rondel.

ALL SAINTS. Flint. W tower with little cupola. Nave with brick quoins. S porch with brick windows. Two-storeyed C17 brick Vestry. - FONT. Simple, Perp. - STAINED GLASS. E window by Clutterbuck, 1857 (TK). - PLATE. Cup 1643 ; Paten 1707.

LITTLE CORNARD. The lane climbs steeply through the fair countryside to this remote village high up above the Stour. A row of sycamores shades the path to the little 15th century church with a 14th century tower crowned by a stumpy lead spire and round bell-turret. There is a small 14th century font with heraldic shields on its traceried bowl, and in a window is an ancient roundel of an angel with a scroll. Bitter tragedy this tiny place has known, for no fewer than 21 of its families were wiped out by the Black Death raging in East Anglia in 1349. At Killingdown Hill, Dane’s Hole, and Sharpfight Meadow ancient swords have been found from time to time, grim relics of a battle between Saxons and Danes in unhappy far-off days.

Flickr.