St Mary the Virgin

This beautiful Grade I listed church was built early in the 13th century on the site of an earlier Saxon church. Its magnificent 15th century flint and stone tower stands as a beacon for those travelling on the A140 between Ipswich and Norwich.

Outside the church can be seen a large number of amazing gargoyles and huge stone carvings, including a wodewose (wild man) on the north porch.

Inside the church you will experience a wonderful sacred space where worship takes place every day, and you are welcome to pray, light a candle or simply sit and savour the peace. You will also find a wealth of historical interest. The unusual and elaborate Jacobean font cover was carved in 1630 by Mendlesham’s John Turner, who also carved the pulpit. There is a wonderful collection of mediaeval pews and a 14th century brass to John Knyvet. The South Aisle contains the stone altar raised from the floor in 1981 and now forms the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. The north aisle houses the Lady Chapel, with an Elizabethan holy table and an unusual niche containing a modern statue of Our Lady set into its east window, whose glass is a First World War memorial.

The church has two porches. The upper floor of the north porch, originally a priest’s room, contains a unique Armoury - 'the most complete armoury of any English parish church' (Pevsner). As well as the parish collection of armour, assembled before the time of the Armada, it contains part of an Elizabethan longbow, several parish chests, a ‘Vinegar’ Bible and other artefacts. Unfortunately the armoury is currently not open to visitors as it requires some restoration work, but a NHLF application to aid its renovation is at the planning stage.

The south porch is now the Chapel of the Holy Cross, designated especially for prayer for the dead, where candles are lit for the departed and there are two chantry books; one for the parish and the other containing the names of the 288 American servicemen based at Mendlesham airfield who died in action in WWII.