St Mary

St Mary's is at first glance a traditional Suffolk village church but look a little closer and there are several surprises. Most unusually, the tower is at the east end of the building, a result of the destruction of the chancel in the 1700s.

While the main body of the church is typically Anglican, the chancel, pulpit and reading desk are Jacobean in character and are constructed using older materials. The pulpit is believed to be the tallest in the county and tests the mettle of any visiting preachers.

The churchyard has several interesting stones, and also a striking statute of Hope that marks the entrance to the Walford family vault.

Dallinghoo is also the birthplace of Francis Light, the founder of Penang, Malaysia, and father of William Light, the founder of Adelaide, Australia. Although local legend suggests he lived at Dallinghoo Rectory, the only written connection to Dallinghoo can be found in the baptismal record of St Mary's.