Church Of St Mary

POLSTEAD POLSTEAD PARK 1. 5377 Church of St Mary TL 9838 62/900 23.1.58 I 2. Approached by a drive from Water Lane. A C12 church with C14 aisles, north and south porches and west tower with stone spire. The aisle windows and south aisle roof are C16. The church is built of flint and stone externally and Norman brick and Tufa blocks internally. This brickwork is possibly the earliest surviving example of English brickwork (N. Pevsner). The west tower has a castellated parapet and a stone spire 73 ft high which is said to be the oldest surviving old stone spire in the County of Suffolk. The west door, leading into the tower is Norman with chevron ornamentation. The north door is C14. The south aisle roof has good C16 moulded and carved beams. The interior fittings include a C13 octagonal pulpit and an early C17 three sided communion rail. There is a C17 monument above the pulpit and there are C15 brasses. The church stands in Polstead Park close to Polstead Hall. Graded for its architectural and historical value.

Listing NGR: TL9890338073