St Nicholas
Oakley, Suffolk
St Nicholas’ church, mainly 15th and 16th century, is possibly on an 8th century site (probably pre-Norman) with a 60ft tower built in the 14th century.
Despite its diminutive size, the respected critic and historian Nikolaus Pevsner’s book on listed buildings (published between 1951 and 1974), has over half a page dedicated to this beautiful little church.
Billingford appears in the Doomsday book of 1086 where it is named as Prelestuna (alias Preleston or Pyleston) - place of the battle, probably from Roman times. Its present name first occurred in Henry IIIs time (mid 1200s) by a ford over the river Waveney which forms the southern boundary of the Parish and also of Norfolk. There is also reference to a Hospital for travellers in the time of Henry but it’s site is unknown.
1267 is the first reference to an Incumbent, Walter. The registers date from 1640. In the baptism register of 1813 is a note of a census taken the 27th August 1811 which states there are 187 inhabitants (92 males, 95 females). Today there are just under 100.
The church, dedicated to St Leonard, is an ancient building of flint in the Early English Style consisting of chancel, nave and south porch. Some sources suggest the tower was never completed whilst others say it had fallen down; either way the low western tower contains one bell dated 1741 by Wm Gardiner of Sudbury. The whole fabric was restored in 1881 at a cost of £500 and has 120 sittings according to Kelly’s directory of 1896 (can you work out where they sat as there are only 16 pews holding 4 each).
On the south wall of the nave is a wall painting, probably dating to the 1300s. To date no one has identified what it depicts, might you be able to help?
The churchyard has been surveyed by Norfolk Wildlife Trust and conservation areas created in an endeavour to showcase wildflowers. You can sit awhile, relax and take in the views across the Waveney valley to neighbouring Suffolk, with the windmill in the foreground.
Of the nine servicemen who made the ultimate sacrifice in WWI and WWII there is a memorial in the churchyard to Gordon Flowerdew who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.