Hoxne St Peter and St Paul with St Edmund

This church with its embattled tower is set above one of the prettiest villages in Suffolk. The tower was built by the second Duke of Suffolk John de la Pole in 1450. He’s buried in Wingfield church with his wife Elizabeth, sister to Richard III.

What’s special?

The lychgate into a beautiful and secluded churchyard. Lych means corpse by the way.

Inside the church you’ll be faced with a remarkable 15th century wall painting of St Christopher. You can tell it’s him by the large staff he’s carrying. There’s other ancient wall paintings too above the impressive arcades.

Over in the north aisle there’s lots of village history on display, much of it about St Edmund  who was said to have been martyred in the village in 870. Look for the bench end depicting the wolf guarding his head. Oh and you can get the real story of the Hoxne Hoard, the largest hoard of late Roman silver and gold discovered in Britain.

Looking back

That oak where St Edmund fell was supposed to have fallen in 1848 and been re-used in the building of the church. Well, it’s a good story. There’s also talk of a church being there in the 10th century dedicated to St Ethelbert. What you see today is mostly mid 14th to end 15th century but no less remarkable for that. It would have been familiar to the Bishops of Norwich who used to have a residence in Hoxne.

Fast forward

Hoxne is on the Angels & Pinnacles Blue Church Heritage Trail and you can also do the Hoxne Heritage Walk. The church is open daily.

What’s nearby?

• The stone cross marking the spot where St Edmund is thought to have been martyred near the Goldbrook Bridge. It is said an arrow head was found deep in the trunk of St Edmund’s oak when it fell
• The Swan Inn, renowned for its history and hospitality
• The Hoxne Man, a 10-ft sculpture in nearby Brakey Wood, planted by the locals and managed by the Woodland Trust