Thursday.

This morning we had to motor over to Bury Saint Edmund's, to kill several birds with one stone.After we'd done the necessary business we decided to have a look at Risby Church, another of Suffolk's round towered churches. We'd not seen it before and it came as a pleasant surprise, and a larger church than we'd expected, as per the above picture. We had the added benefit of sun in a mid November day.

I almost don't know where to start. Once again the round tower is the oldest part. It's said to have a good deal of Anglo saxon work still evident. There are two lots of wall painting, in places with one lot overpainted by the other. The pews are largely early, and where there's been restoration it's been sympathetically done, with as much early work retained as possible.

 The same is true of much of the glass. The above window (the East window) is of largely 14th/ 15th century work, restored in the 19th century.

The rood screen is pictured above. It is small (about nine feet wide) but  exquisite!

 Being called up to supper, so must hurry this. Above shows Ann looking at some of the murals.

Above showing the lychgate, with seats inside it. I should think a lovely place to spend a summer evening.  Got to go now.  May put more down later. In the meantime recommend a look round St. Giles' Church, Risby. It is like an amalgum of the best from several good country churches mixed together.
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Ann is much better than I at perceiving 'atmosphere' in a church. Over supper I asked her what she thought of Risby Church. "It's lovely" she said, "It's still a well-used Church. It's been well looked after, and cared for. And it's still a very active church."  I think I knew what she meant.

P.s. Just been re-reading yesterday's blog. The truth of the last paragraph assuring us that there are still  'fine things to be seen' has been confirmed today in a Suffolk village church.