THE GOSPEL OAK SERVICE ST. MARY'S CHURCH POLSTEAD

On Sunday 31st July there was a large gathering of parishioners from the 5 churches of the Benefice at Polstead church. We followed Revd. Stéphane into the grounds of Polstead Hall, with the kind permission of the Owles family and, in sight of the descendant of the original Gospel Oak, grown from one of its acorns. We admired the stunning view of our beautiful countryside and then trooped back into church to take part in a most interesting and joyful service.

The history of Polstead church goes back to at least the 7th century. It is believed that the Celtic Saint Cedd and his monks preached under the Gospel Oak in 653 AD. Since 1902 a yearly service has been held at the Gospel Oak in memory of St Cedd and his mission. When the original tree collapsed in 1953, a cut through the trunk revealed over 1,400 growth rings indicating that the tree would have been mature in St Cedd’s time.

Bill Wigglesworth gave an informative and fascinating talk on, as he put it, The Central Mystery of Polstead Church. Until his recent retirement, Bill was Church Warden, Chairman of the Friends of St Mary’s Church and Village Recorder. He is an authority on the history of Polstead and the Church in particular.

He told us that St Mary’s is considered by some experts to be one of the most interesting medieval churches in Suffolk. Unlike the Suffolk great wool churches, where rich patrons had often replaced much of the earlier stonework, at Polstead it is possible to follow the history of the development of the building over many centuries.

It is thought that the original Anglo-Saxon church was a wooden structure, built near the site of the oak grove where StCedd preached. In all likelihood there was also a small monastic establishment from where priests were sent to preach in nearby villages.

Some 500 years later, when wood had become a scarce commodity, stone was used to build replacement churches. There is evidence at Polstead church of a variety of locally sourced materials: flints of all types and sizes, large boulders, and Roman bricks and tiles. In the early 14th century the Norman stone building was extended. What Bill has always considered a mystery is the contrast between the elegant limestone columns of the church, its superb Norman arch, and the crude brick arches surmounting the pillars. After much expert research it was judged that this had arisen mainly because funds ran out after the defeat and possible death of the church's patron, Henry of Essex in 1163.

The rebuilding work of Polstead church was continued using local materials - brick was beginning to be used and was readily available locally. The brickwork of the arches was originally plastered over but in the late 19th century, to accomodate Victorian taste, the plaster was removed leaving the elegant stone pillars topped by rough brick arches thus creating the beautiful light, peaceful, elegant simplicity of the church we have today.

How interesting it was to be able to sit in the church as Bill explained the history of its construction.

We were also very fortunate in having the Boxted Methodist Silver Band to accompany our hymns and a thoroughly joyful service was held.

We would like to thank Bill Wigglesworth for his interesting talk; the brilliant Boxted Methodist Silver Band, who not only enthusiastically played for us but generously donated their fee to our Community Pantry Fund; those whoprovided and cheerfully served refreshments and those who decorated the church with flowers.