Hasketon
Encyclopedia
Hasketon is a small village in Suffolk
, England
.
Its church, St. Andrews, is one of 38 existing round-tower church
es in Suffolk
. St. Andrews stands more or less at the centre of its scattered parish
, and is set in a tree-shaded churchyard
which, in 1845, had been planted with beech
, fir
and elm
.
The 11th century: The earliest part of the present church is the nave
, where evidence of late Saxon
or early Norman
work in the layered masonry
with which parts of the walls are faced can be found. There is also a little herring-bone masonry in the south wall, where there remains a tiny blocked window of this date. Clearly the core of the nave dates from the period just before or just after the Norman Conquest of 1066.
The late 11th or early 12th century: A little later the round tower
was added at the west end of the nave
.
The 13th century: The single lancet window
s in the north walls of the nave
and chancel
survive from this period.
c.1300: The round tower
was heightened by the addition of its octagonal belfry
-stage (later restored with brick
) and also received its west window. Some similar windows to those in the belfry
-stage were placed in the nave
and chancel
.
The 14th and early 15th centuries: Several of the present windows in the nave
and the chancel
date from this time; they probably replaced earlier windows like the blocked 11th century one. The north and south doorways are also of 14th century date.
At the Reformation
and afterwards, the interior of the church was altered to cater for the new liturgical requirements of the established church. Much of the colour and carvings went, also the stained glass and the rood with its loft and screen.
The year 1844 saw the arrival of Revd Thomas Maude, and it was he who was responsible for the restoration of the church by gradual stages. The font – originally given c.1450 by members of the Brewse family, who owned the manor of Hasketon from the late 13th century until c.1489 – was cleaned and restored shortly after the arrival of Revd Maude, and a small gallery at the west end of the nave was replaced by a carved wooden tower screen. The major restoration took place during the 1860s. In 1863, work was done on the nave
, the church was re-roofed , the chancel
restored and the vestry
added in 1865. The nave
received a new set of benches in 1866, and two years later the porch
was rebuilt. In 1899, a new bell was given and three others recast.
The present organ was given in 1904, the year the choir-stalls were also made. The reredos
was erected in 1920.
Additions of recent years include among others the interior decoration, the kneelers, the festal frontal and the list of Rectors.
Today, the building is still in regular use for Christian worship.
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Its church, St. Andrews, is one of 38 existing round-tower church
Round-tower church
Round-tower churches are a type of church found mainly in England, almost solely in East Anglia; of about 185 surviving examples in the country, 124 are in Norfolk, 38 in Suffolk, 6 in Essex, 3 in Sussex and 2 each in Cambridgeshire and Berkshire. There is evidence of about twenty round-tower...
es in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. St. Andrews stands more or less at the centre of its scattered parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
, and is set in a tree-shaded churchyard
Churchyard
A churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language or Northern English language this can also be known as a kirkyard or kirkyaird....
which, in 1845, had been planted with beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
, fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
and elm
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
.
History of St Andrews Church
There has been a church at this place for more than 900 years. This ancient church contains craftsmanship from many periods. From what can be seen and derived from what little documentary evidence is available, the history of this church is as follows:The 11th century: The earliest part of the present church is the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, where evidence of late Saxon
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
or early Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
work in the layered masonry
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
with which parts of the walls are faced can be found. There is also a little herring-bone masonry in the south wall, where there remains a tiny blocked window of this date. Clearly the core of the nave dates from the period just before or just after the Norman Conquest of 1066.
The late 11th or early 12th century: A little later the round tower
Round-tower church
Round-tower churches are a type of church found mainly in England, almost solely in East Anglia; of about 185 surviving examples in the country, 124 are in Norfolk, 38 in Suffolk, 6 in Essex, 3 in Sussex and 2 each in Cambridgeshire and Berkshire. There is evidence of about twenty round-tower...
was added at the west end of the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
.
The 13th century: The single lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
s in the north walls of the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
survive from this period.
c.1300: The round tower
Round-tower church
Round-tower churches are a type of church found mainly in England, almost solely in East Anglia; of about 185 surviving examples in the country, 124 are in Norfolk, 38 in Suffolk, 6 in Essex, 3 in Sussex and 2 each in Cambridgeshire and Berkshire. There is evidence of about twenty round-tower...
was heightened by the addition of its octagonal belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
-stage (later restored with brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
) and also received its west window. Some similar windows to those in the belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
-stage were placed in the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
.
The 14th and early 15th centuries: Several of the present windows in the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
date from this time; they probably replaced earlier windows like the blocked 11th century one. The north and south doorways are also of 14th century date.
At the Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
and afterwards, the interior of the church was altered to cater for the new liturgical requirements of the established church. Much of the colour and carvings went, also the stained glass and the rood with its loft and screen.
The year 1844 saw the arrival of Revd Thomas Maude, and it was he who was responsible for the restoration of the church by gradual stages. The font – originally given c.1450 by members of the Brewse family, who owned the manor of Hasketon from the late 13th century until c.1489 – was cleaned and restored shortly after the arrival of Revd Maude, and a small gallery at the west end of the nave was replaced by a carved wooden tower screen. The major restoration took place during the 1860s. In 1863, work was done on the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, the church was re-roofed , the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
restored and the vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
added in 1865. The nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
received a new set of benches in 1866, and two years later the porch
Porch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
was rebuilt. In 1899, a new bell was given and three others recast.
The present organ was given in 1904, the year the choir-stalls were also made. The reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
was erected in 1920.
Additions of recent years include among others the interior decoration, the kneelers, the festal frontal and the list of Rectors.
Today, the building is still in regular use for Christian worship.
Sources
- St Andrews, Hasketon Church Guide by Roy Tricker, Gyppeswyk Print, Ipswich 2001
External links
- Website with photos of Hasketon St Andrew, a round-tower churchRound-tower churchRound-tower churches are a type of church found mainly in England, almost solely in East Anglia; of about 185 surviving examples in the country, 124 are in Norfolk, 38 in Suffolk, 6 in Essex, 3 in Sussex and 2 each in Cambridgeshire and Berkshire. There is evidence of about twenty round-tower...