Nedging, Suffolk

St Mary, open, is charming and, unusually for me, the rendering of the nave and chancel adds to its charm. The peaceful location also helps, as does the fact that it was the last church of the day and I was sure it would be locked for the day at this late hour. It boasts two Norman south and north doors - the south being, in my view, the better and whilst the interior is very austere - almost puritanical - it is, in the words of Simon Knott "prayerfully simple".

At the west end of the nave is a range of medieval benches with seven curious tower like bench ends/poppyheads - what they represent is beyond me.

As at Elmsett the Great War memorial caught my attention but here it records the loss of two Boltons, three Morphews, two Scotts and Alfred Spooner - the tragedy of WW1 never stops resonating.

1. Arthur S Bolton 4th Bn Suffolk Regiment 15 July 1916 Thiepval Memorial
2. Ernest A Bolton son of John & Emma Bolton 7th Bn Suffolk Regiment 04 May 1917 aged 35 Duisans Cemetery, Etrun
3. Oliver G[eorge] Morphew son of Edith Eva Morphew 1st Bn Suffolk Regiment 25 May 1915 aged 21 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial
4. Arthur W Morphew son of John Morphew, husband of May Morphew 1st Bn Suffolk Regiment 15 June 1915 aged 27 Niederzwehren Cemetery, Kassel
5. George F Morphew 2nd/5th Bn Sherwood Foresters 04 April 1917 Vadencourt British Cemetery, Maissemy
6. Alfred Spooner son of Walter & Mary Spooner, husband of Ellen Elizabeth Spooner7th Bn Suffolk Regiment 07 May 1918 aged 47 Doullens Communal Cemetery "Loved with an eternal love from wife and five boys"
7. William W[alter] Scott 4th Bn Suffolk Regiment 23 April 1917 Arras Memorial
8. Harry G[eorge] Scott son of Harry & Susannah Scott 7th Bn Suffolk Regiment 10 August 1916 aged 20 Etaples Military Cemetery

ST MARY. Two Transitional (late C13) doorways, round-arched, with one order of shafts, the capitals thick crockets with applied decoration or upright leaves. The arches with thick rings round the main roll moulding. On the S side also a hood-mould of dog-tooth. Chancel of c. 1300, see the windows (E three-light intersected); nave Dec, W tower also Dec. Nave roof with tie-beams and kingposts. - BENCHES with poppy-heads. - PLATE. Cup 1562 (?).

Another one Mee missed.

Flickr.