About All Saints Church

Before the Reformation

There has been a church at Stradbroke for at least 900 years. The Doomsday Survey of 1086 records the existence of two churches. Nothing survived from the Saxon or Norman church. The oldest work is from the 14th century and most of the fabric dates from the 15th century - the period when so many of our grand Suffolk churches took their present shape, and when the Perpendicular style of architecture was at its zenith.

At the time of the Doomsday Survey, it seems that Stradbroke Church was in the care of the Benedictine Priory at Eye, but by the 14th century the advowson of the living (the income and the right to appoint the Vicar) was in the hands of the College of Priests at Wingfield. The first Master of Wingfield College, Peter Brown, resigned to become Stradbroke's vicar in 1371, and in 1492 Ludovicus Bradley, another Wingfield priest, became Vicar here. Stradbroke's connection with Wingfield brought it into contact with the De La Poles, the Dukes of Suffolk. This family were great church builders and almost certainly had part in the rebuilding of this grand church in the 15th century.

Richard Phipson, the architect of the 1870s restoration, believed the chancel was 14th century, and that the rest of the church was added to this in the 15th century, replacing a Norman or 13th century structure. There were two chantry chapels at the east end of the aisles. That on the north side was for Sir Richard Brewse, whose family owned one of the manors, and the south chapel (founded c. 1306) belonged to the Shelton family, who owned the other manor. These chapels were dedicated to Our Lady and to her mother Saint Anne.

The coronets and roses on the great west doorway, lead several experts to believe that Stradbroke's glorious tower was built by William De La Pole, who died in 1450.

Records of bequests during the second half of the 15th century, tell us that there was much rebuilding and refurbishment taking place over this period.