Cavendish, St Mary the Virgin

The church is in one of the prettiest settings of any in Suffolk with half-timbered, thatched cottages clustered round it. The handsome exterior reflects the great wealth of the Middle Ages with its impressive stair turret on the 14th century tower rising above the battlements.

What's special?

Light pours in through the vast east window and in the nave is a lavish 16th century gilded altarpiece of the crucifixion. The 19th and 20th century glass is high quality and there’s an elaborate tomb for Sir George Colt who died in 1570.
The priest would have had a room in the tower with a window looking on to the high altar. He had a fireplace for which a chimney can still be seen at the top of the tower.

How old is it?

A Saxon church stood on the site, then a Norman church; another church was started in the 14th century and in 1381 Sir John Cavendish built the chancel. The north aisle, nave arcade and clerestory were added in the 15th century and the Victorians had another go in 1862.

Famous connections

The inspirational Sue Ryder set up a charitable foundation at her mother’s house in the village that became home to people with physical and mental disabilities. She married Leonard Cheshire who founded the Cheshire Homes and the couple lived in Cavendish.

Sir John Cavendish was Chief Justice of the King’s Bench in the reign of Richard II and beheaded during the Peasants Revolt  of 1381.


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Support Cavendish Church

Get in touch

The Revd Mark Woodrow

The Vicarage
14 High Street
Clare

CO10 8NY
The Revd Mark Woodrow - Rector
01787 277515
Dr Graham Jenkin - Churchwarden
07979 194287

Our website

What's on

Gift Day - 18th October 2025

Occurring
for 6 hours
Venue
Cavendish, St Mary the Virgin
Address
Peacocks Road / The Green Cavendish Sudbury, CO10 8BA, United Kingdom

During October St Mary’s Church is making its annual appeal to the wider village community for help in meeting its insurance costs for the year. This, with the roof alarm, is now approximately £5,000 p.a., i.e. beyond what is realistically feasible for the regular congregation on their own. No funding is available for this from the central Church of England or the Government.

The village and friends of the Church have been generous in helping with this, in recent years, though we are only too aware of the financial difficulties that many currently face. It is an important village asset with broader benefits to us all, at the centre of one of the best-known village scenes in the country. Most of us would like to see this maintained for future generations and we hope you will feel able to help, especially in view of its Grade 1 listing, considerable history and broader use.

Gift Day envelopes can be brought to the Church between 10.00 and 16.00 on Saturday 18th October, where people will be ready to welcome you and receive them. The alternatives are; to use the giving box close to the main Church door, the contactless machine on it, or www.tinyurl.com/donate-cavendish, or this linked QR code, post it through the letter box of The Manse, Melford Road, CO10 8AD or the special box in the Village Shop, marked ‘for St. Mary’s Church’. Cheques should be made payable to: “PCC Cavendish” and for those using BACS, the Sort Code is 30-98-31 and Account Number 00594368. We would be grateful for any contributions you feel able to give.

We would like to extend a warm welcome to anyone who is thinking of attending Church services. Further information is in the Church Welcome brochure, on various notice boards, the Village and Church website (https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/2117/) and the Village Magazine.
Members of the Parochial Church Council

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Everyday faith

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St Mary’s Church Cavendish - Gift Day – 18th October 2025

Safeguarding

Our Benefice is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults from harm.

We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Benefice Safeguarding Officer (BSO).

Our Diocese’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor who advises our BSO.

If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the BSO:
Mr Simon Cant Tel: 01284 789211 Email: [email protected]

or the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor:
Mrs Karen Galloway Tel: 07785 621319 Email: [email protected]

or you may speak with the Rector:
The Revd Mark Woodrow Tel: 01787 277515 Email: [email protected]

If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority’s children or adult social care services (Suffolk County Council – 0808 800 4005).

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