Monument record LDM 001 - Church of St Peter

Site of St Peters Church:
circa 1887: OS mapping shows churchyarrd & church as roofed building.
Circa 1926: OS mapping shows churchyard & unroofed building.
In 1961 Remains consisting of some collapsed brickwork, possibly belonging to the brick tower of c.1500 and flint rubble were visible. The chancel and nave were apparently rebuilt at the end of C13, and the S side of the nave was rebuilt c.1825, after collapsing. Some C18 headstones still survive and the whole site is under grass and tree covered. The surrounding fields are all under plough (R1).
In 1971 the site was overgrown with rough grass, brambles and blackthorns. Only part of the N wall of the chancel, protruding to a maximum height of 0.8m through the rubble was extant. No architectural features remain. Turf covered footings of the other walls were occasionally visible. Graveyard is overgrown, and the latest gravestone is dated 1896.
In 1974 edition Pevsner records "all that survives is the brick W tower and a fragment of the SE corner of the nave".
According to the farmer at Church Farm, there is a tradition that there was an associated village, which was deserted at the time of the plague. There is now no trace of this if it ever existed (R2)(S1).
In 1976 an EMed scatter of occupation debris was noted nearby at In 1976 an EMed scatter of occupation debris was noted nearby at TM 3184 7630 to the E of the church enclosure, and also to the N. See record LDM 004 (S2). to the E of the church enclosure, and also to the N. See record LDM 004 (S2).
Recommended for scheduling as Suffolk 197 in 1976, not accepted, 1982 (S1).
In 1982 it was noted that the site had been bulldozed circa 1977, and that all that remains is a flat platform of earth circa 0.5m - 0.7m high, with the outlines of where the church stood in white mortar spread. Some flint, brick and stone were spread on the surface.
The entire site has now been ploughed along with the rest of the field (R4)(S1).
September 1993: Silver halfpenny of Wiliam I found in churchyard by Mrs Piper, just N of site of church. Silver long-cross penny of Edward I London mint (S4); silver groat Elizabeth I, pierced. Bronze Harrington farthing, two Nuremberg tokens; bronze bell. Also numerous lead cane fragments from church windows, and nails recovered from site (S3).
August 2005: site visit (RD Carr) shows whole site under crop though area of church still visible as slight ridge. Building materials visible in ploughsoil (report in parish file).