ALL SAINTS CHURCH
HONINGTON
links
within the site
A LITTLE OF THE HISTORY OF
ALL SAINTS
The church of ALL SAINTS lies in the small picturesque village of Honington, which is situated on the road between the towns of Ixworth in West Suffolk and Thetford in Norfolk. All Saints Church comes within the larger Blackbourne team Ministry
In 1972 the parish of Sapiston was combined with that of Honington and the Sapiston church was taken over by the redundant churches trust.
All Saints church has a history that includes an entry into the ‘Domesday Book’ in the year of 1085, under the heading ‘the Hundred of Blackbourne’ (or Blachebrune). Today’s church consists of a Chancel, Nave, Tower, Porch, and a brick enclosed external staircase to the tower. The main construction follows the traditional methods of knapped flint and mortar walls within stone masonry battlements and corners. The roof is now of plain tiles but was originally of thatch.
The present main building dates from the fourteenth century with many signs of much earlier times. The porch was added in the early fifteenth century and the enclosed staircase in the sixteenth century.
The impressive porch covers the main doorway which in itself has many features of note such the ancient timber door and carved stone sections and niches. Together they make a great entrance to this small beautiful church.
Once inside the church you are greeted by a wonderful sense of peace and tranquillity, the interior is light from the abundance of windows to all sides and together with the perfectly maintained décor, shows itself as a loved and much used place of worship.
At the rear of the nave is a two manual organ installed in 1935 at the cost of £100 and although now fitted with an electric air pump the bellows are still connected to the original hand system. Here we have Joy at the ready.
In the tower are three bells of differing periods, the ‘Return of 1553' describes two bells and the third bell is inscribed “John Draper made me 1600.” A sight not to be missed is to see Syd ringing them solo.
Perhaps Honington’s most famous inhabitant was the poet Robert Bloomfield who was born in the farmhouse still visible through the window in the South wall of the nave. A plaque to commemorate him was installed by the Bloomfield Society in 1904.
There are of course commemorative plaques to those who gave their lives in the two world wars and these take on a greater significance because of the war graves situated in a tranquil part of the churchyard. This has led to an ongoing bond between the villagers of Honington and the nearby RAF Honington Airbase personnel, who often use All Saints as their home from home church.
The War Graves section
interest