Church Heritage Record id19735

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Ipswich: St Lawrence

Name:

This is the church’s legal name as given by the Church Commissioners.

Ipswich: St Lawrence
Record Type:

A classification of the current status of the building

Closed Church
Church code:

This is a unique identification number supplied to each church building by the Church Commissioners.

Diocese:

Name of diocese in which the church building is located at the time of entry.

St.Edmundsbury & Ipswich
Archdeaconry:

Name of archdeaconry in which the church building is located at the time of entry

Ipswich
Parish:

This is the legal name of the parish as given by the Church Commissioners.

Ipswich, St. Mary-le-Tower

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Statutory Designation Information

Listed Building?

The decision to put a church building on the National Heritage List for England and assign it a listing grade is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The decision is normally based on recommendations made by Historic England, the government’s adviser on the historic environment.

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Scheduled Monument?

The decision to schedule a feature (building, monument, archaeological remains, etc.) located within the church building’s precinct or churchyard is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The decision is based on recommendations made by Historic England, the government’s adviser on cultural heritage.

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National Park

National Parks are areas of countryside that include villages and towns, which are protected because of their beautiful countryside, wildlife and cultural heritage. In England, National Parks are designated by Natural England, the government’s advisor on the natural environment.

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Conservation Area

Conservation areas are places of special architectural or historic interest where it is desirable to preserve and enhance the character and appearance of such areas. Conservation Areas are designated by the Local Council.

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Heritage At Risk Status

On Heritage At Risk Register?

The Heritage at Risk programme is run and managed by Historic England, the government’s advisor on cultural heritage. It aims to protect and manage the historic environment, so that the number of ‘at risk’ historic places and sites across England are reduced.

This church is not on the Heritage at Risk Register
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Approximate Date

Approximate Date:

Selecting a single date for the construction of a church building can sometimes be very difficult as most CoE buildings have seen many phases of development over time. The CHR allows you to record a time period rather than a specific date.

The CHR records the time period for the building’s predominant fabric as opposed to the date of the earliest fabric or the church’s foundation date.

Medieval

Exterior Image

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Summary Description

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Close at hand, the impact of the tower is rather slight because the streets are so narrow that no overall view is possible. It seems that this has always been the case, for there is a marked difference in decoration about two-thirds of the way up, the upper part being extravagantly decorated with flushwork and crowned by an elaborate parapet while the lower stages are comparatively plain.

Visiting and Facilities

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The church is closed for worship.
Date closed for worship:
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Church Website

Church Website:

www.holytrinitylyonsdown.org.uk

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Sources and Further Information

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If you notice any errors with the below outlines of your connected churchyards, please email heritageonline@churchofengland.org with the corrections needed.

This could include information on new churchyards, edits to the boundaries shown, or different land characteristics. 

We are working on adding the consecrated land found within local authority cemeteries, and in time, this data will be shown on the map.

Grid Reference: TM 164 446

To zoom into an area hold the SHIFT key down then click and drag a rectangle.

Administrative Area

County:

The administrative area within which the church is located.

Suffolk County

Location and Setting

This field describes the setting of the church building, i.e. the surroundings in which the church building is experienced, and whether or not it makes a positive or negative contribution to the significance of the building.

St. Lawrence stands in the area between Tavern Street and Buttermarket, with Dial Lane to the west and St. Lawrence Street to the east.

Church Plan

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Ground Plan Description and Dimensions

Ground Plan

Provide as written description of the ground plan of the church building and well as its dimensions.

West tower (97 feet high); four-bay aisleless nave, chancel with north organ chamber.

Dimensions

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Footprint of Church buildings (m2):

Small (<199m2)

Medium (200-599m2)

Large (600m-999m2)

Very Large (>1000m2)

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Description of Archaeology and History

This field aims to record the archaeological potential of the wider area around the building and churchyard, as well as the history of site.

The church was begun with the money of John Bottold who died in 1431; the chancel was built with the money of John Baldwin who died in 1449. The west tower was rebuilt with considerable panache by Frederick Barnes and Howard Gaye in 1881 (illustrated in The Building News of 29th December, 1882).

Exterior Description

This field aims to record a written description of the exterior of the church building and the churchyard.

Close at hand, the impact of the tower is rather slight because the streets are so narrow that no overall view is possible. It seems that this has always been the case, for there is a marked difference in decoration about two-thirds of the way up, the upper part being extravagantly decorated with flushwork and crowned by an elaborate parapet while the lower stages are comparatively plain. The ground stage of the tower is divided horizontally externally by a stringcourse which curves over the big three-light west window to form a hood-mould.

The west door and the north door survive, both with panels having richly cusped and crocketted ogee heads. The south doorway is blocked with a stone wall. The doorway on the west is transitional between Decorated (in being two-centred) and Perpendicular (in having a square dripstone above). The dripstone is in fact a section of a string-course while the uprights beneath it are in the form of small pinnacles supported on half-round columns. Below the stringcourse the wall each side of the doorway is ornamented with stone and flint chequerwork. 

Compared with the elaborate decoration of the tower, the rest of the church seems restrained, although there is evidence that there was at one time more decoration to the exterior than survives now. The bays of the south wall are divided by buttresses which have a set-off at the level of a plinth which forms the base of the wall, and then three more set-offs before dying into the wall at the eaves. At least two buttresses have remains of statue niches near the top. The band of quatrefoils which was noticed on the tower runs along below the windows and has been renewed in places. 

The majority of each bay above this is taken up with a large three-light window of Perpendicular design with embattled transoms to the main lights and panel tracery. At the level of the springing of the arches which enclose the windows, the wall is faced with brick up to the eaves, apparently eighteenth-century work. The west bay has suffered from structural defects and was entirely rebuilt in brick, when the window was given wooden tracery of a simple intersecting pattern quite out of keeping with the rest of the church. 

The east wall of the nave suggests that the chancel (which is earlier in date) was to have been replaced or at least altered, for the corner of the nave has an angle buttress on the east face leaving a narrow gap between itself and the chancel wall which cannot have been intended. 

The south chancel wall, with two windows of three lights of earlier design than those in the nave, is a composite surface of many periods. It has originally been faced with flint, but at several later times, brick infilling of various qualities has been introduced, until now the wall is a strange amalgam of dates and materials.

The east wall has a big five-light window of entirely nineteenth century form in an unharmonious brown stone. Each side of it is a row of panels, some in flushwork and some in relief. 

Architects, Artists and Associated People/Organisations

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Building Fabric and Features

This field is an index of the building and its major components

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Collapse Building Fabric and FeaturesBuilding Fabric and Features
STAINED GLASS (c.1855)
STAINED GLASS (1878)
STAINED GLASS

Building Materials

This field is an index of the building’s material composition

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Interior Image

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Interior Description

This field aims to record a written description of the interior of the church building.

The nave is long and tall, with few architectural features. Grisaille in all the windows casts a uniform light. 

The roof is of single arch-braced construction resting on heavily carved stone corbels of nineteenth-century date each with foliage and a shield bearing a symbol.

The arch appears to be entirely nineteenth-century, the inner order supported on attached shafts while the outer mouldings continue to the floor.

The chancel is low, and full of choirstalls. The east window is within a moulded arch (all the others being within plain reveals) and has bright glass of c. 1855.

Internal Fixtures and Fittings

This field is an index of the building’s internal, architectural components. This includes its internal spaces and those areas’ fixtures and fittings (building components which are securely fixed to the church or cathedral).

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ALTAR (17th Century)
LECTERN
ORGAN (OBJECT)
PULPIT (Late 19th Century)

Portable Furnishings and Artworks

This field is an index of the building’s movable, non-fixed furnishings and artworks.

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If you notice any errors with the below outlines of your connected churchyards, please email heritageonline@churchofengland.org with the corrections needed.

This could include information on new churchyards, edits to the boundaries shown, or different land characteristics. 

We are working on adding the consecrated land found within local authority cemeteries, and in time, this data will be shown on the map.

Grid Reference: TM 164 446

To zoom into an area hold the SHIFT key down then click and drag a rectangle.

Ecology

This field aims to record a description of the ecology of the churchyard and surrounding setting.

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Ecological Designations

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The everyday wildlife of burial grounds means much to those who visit and cherish them but many burial grounds are so rich in wildlife that they should be designated and specially protected. Few have the legal protection of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or, in the case of local authority owned cemeteries, Local Nature Reserve. This makes it even more important that they are cared for and protected by the people looking after them.

Many have a non-statutory designation as a recognition of their importance. These non-statutory designations have a variety of names in different regions including Local Wildlife Site, County Wildlife Site, Site of Importance for Nature Conservation or Site of Nature Conservation Importance (Local Wildlife Site is the most common name). Their selection is based on records of the most important, distinctive and threatened species and habitats within a national, regional and local context. This makes them some of our most valuable wildlife areas.

For example, many burial grounds which are designated as Local Wildlife Sites contain species-rich meadow, rich in wildflowers, native grasses and grassland fungi managed by only occasional mowing plus raking. When this is the case, many animals may be present too, insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. This type of grassland was once widespread and has been almost entirely lost from the UK with approximately 3% remaining, so burial grounds with species-rich meadow managed in this way are extremely important for wildlife.

These designations should be considered when planning management or change.

If you think that this or any other burial ground should be designated please contact Caring for God’s Acre (info@cfga.org.uk) to discuss. Many eligible sites have not yet received a designation and can be surveyed and then submitted for consideration.

There are no SSSIs within the curtilage of this Closed Church.

There are no Local nature reserves within the curtilage of this Closed Church.

There are no Local Wildlife sites within the curtilage of this Closed Church.

Evidence of the Presence of Bats

This field aims to record any evidence of the presence of bats in the church building or churchyard.

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Burial and War Grave Information

This field records basic information about the presence of a churchyard and its use as a burial ground.

It is unknown whether the church or churchyard is consecrated. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard is closed for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves. Work in progress - can you help?

National Heritage List for England Designations

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There are no Listed Buildings within the curtilage of this Closed Church.

There are no Scheduled Monuments within the curtilage of this Closed Church.

Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees

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Churchyards are home to fantastic trees, in particular ancient and veteran trees which can be the oldest indication of a sacred space and be features of extraordinary individuality. The UK holds a globally important population of ancient and veteran yew trees of which three-quarters are found in the churchyards of England and Wales.

There are more than 1,000 ancient and veteran yews aged at least 500 years in these churchyards.

To put this in context, the only other part of western Europe with a known significant yew population is Normandy in northern France, where more than 100 ancient or veteran churchyard yews have been recorded.

Burial grounds may contain veteran and ancient trees of other species such as sweet chestnut or small-leaved lime which, whilst maybe not so old as the yews, are still important for wildlife and may be home to many other species.

Specialist advice is needed when managing these wonderful trees. For more information or to seek advice please contact Caring for God’s Acre, The Ancient Yew Group and The Woodland Trust.

If you know of an ancient or veteran tree in a burial ground that is not listed here please contact Caring for God’s Acre.

There are currently no Ancient, Veteran or Notable trees connected to this Closed Church

Churchyard Structures

This field is an index of the churchyard’s components.

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Significance

Setting Significance Level:

Significance is the whole set of reasons why people value a church, whether as a place for worship and mission, as an historic building that is part of the national heritage, as a focus for the local community, as a familiar landmark or for any other reasons.

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Setting Significance Description:
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Fabric Significance Level:
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Fabric Significance Description:
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Interior Significance Level:
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Interior Significance Description:
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Community Significance Level:
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Community Significance Description:
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Church Renewables

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Species Summary

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All of the species listed below have been recorded in close proximity to the Closed Church . A few species which are particularly threatened and affected by disturbance may not be listed here because their exact location cannot be shared.

NOTE: Be aware that this dataset is growing, and the species totals may change once the National Biodiversity Network has added further records. Species may be present but not recorded and still await discovery.

No species data found for this record

Caring for God’s Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.

To learn more about all of the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.

‘Seek Advice’ Species

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If any of the following species have been seen close to the Closed Church, it is important to seek advice from an expert. You will need to know if they are present now, and to follow expert recommendations when planning works. All of these species have specific legal protection as a recognition of their rarity. All of them are rare or becoming increasingly endangered, so it is important to ensure that management and other works do not adversely affect them. In addition, there may be things you can do to help these special species. N.B. Swift and House Martin do not have specific legal protection but are included, as roof repair works often impact breeding swifts and house martins which is against the law.

This is not a complete list of protected species, there are many more, but these are ones that are more likely to be found. All wild birds, their nests and eggs are also protected by law, as are all bats and veteran trees. In a few cases, species are considered particularly prone to disturbance or destruction by people, so the exact location of where they were recorded is not publicly available but can be requested. These ‘blurred’ records are included here, and the accuracy is to 1km. This means that the species has been recorded in close proximity to the Closed Church, or a maximum of 1km away from it. As these ‘blurred’ species are quite mobile, there is a strong likelihood that they can occur close to the Closed Church. To learn about these special species, use the link provided for each species in the table below

One important species which is not included here is the Peregrine Falcon. This is protected and advice should be sought if peregrines are nesting on a church or cathedral. Peregrine records are ‘blurred’ to 10km, hence the decision not to include records here. Remember too that species not seriously threatened nationally may still be at risk in your region and be sensitive to works. You should check with local experts about this. You may also need to seek advice about invasive species, such as Japanese knotweed and aquatics colonising streams or pools, which can spread in churchyards.

N.B. If a species is not recorded this does not indicate absence. It is always good practice to survey.

No species data found for this record

Caring for God’s Acre can help and support you in looking after the biodiversity present in this special place. If you know that any of these species occur close to the Closed Church and are not recorded here, please contact Caring for God’s Acre with details (info@cfga.org.uk).

To find out more about these and other species recorded against this Closed Church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas.

The church was the centre of many people’s lives and remains a guide to their cares and concerns. Glimpses into those lives have often come down to us in the stories we heard as children or old photographs discovered in tattered shoe boxes. Perhaps your ancestors even made it into local legend following some fantastic event? You can choose to share those memories with others and record them for future generations on this Forum.

Tell us the story of this building through the lives of those who experienced it. Tell us why this church is important to you and your community.

Upload your photographs, share your videos, or compose your story below using a Facebook, Twitter, Google or Disqus account.

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WhoActionWhen
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Summary DescriptionMon 16 Jan 2023 15:39:24
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Approximate DateMon 16 Jan 2023 15:39:18
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeMon 16 Jan 2023 15:38:56
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeMon 16 Jan 2023 15:38:33
Oliver LackAdded fabric typeMon 16 Jan 2023 15:38:08
Oliver LackAdded interior feature typeMon 16 Jan 2023 15:37:38
Oliver LackAdded interior feature typeMon 16 Jan 2023 15:37:24
Oliver LackAdded interior feature typeMon 16 Jan 2023 15:36:52
Oliver LackAdded interior feature typeMon 16 Jan 2023 15:36:34
Oliver LackModified asset data - Modified the Interior DescriptionMon 16 Jan 2023 15:34:22
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