Boxford is an attractive small village of painted plaster houses just off A1071. This had been a wealthy 15thC wool village and the size and grandeur of the church reflects this.
The church is 14thC although the more ornate south porch is 15thc. It has a heavily buttressed west tower with battlemented top and a most unusual small wood and lead open spire above. The chancel has been rendered and the nave and combined chancel have a steeply pitched tile roof. The side aisles are flint and have stepped buttresses and small battlements. The north porch is unusual as it is built of wood. It is the original door with small flower motifs carved round the edge.
Inside it is a big church with slender pillars and big pointed arches adding to the height,. Unlike other Suffolk churches, the clerestory windows aren’t very big. Apart from the modern stained glass east window, the windows contain plain glass making the church very light. The roof is plaster with a few beams across. There is the remains of a wall painting with angels above the chancel arch.
The Ten Commandments hang o either side of the south door. The Creed and Lord’s Prayer are on either side of the north door.
At the back of the church is a 17thC octagonal font with arches carved round the stem. On top is a Jacobean wooden cover which opens up to create a sort of triptych. Do open it as inside there are painted ribbons and quotes from St John.
There are more wall paintings in the south aisle chapel on either side of the window. There are two empty niches and one has the remains of a painting of St Edmund. By the side of the alter in the floor is a tiny brass memorial to David Birdie, the rector’s son who died in 1606 when only a few months old/ He is seen lying in bed with two tiny shoes under it.
This is a most attractive church and definitely worth visiting. it is open daily from 9.30-4.30. There is plenty of parking nearby in the village.