All Saints Sutton, Burnham Market

All Saints' church serves the parish of Burnham Sutton cum Ulph. For the last few decades it has been loosely referred to as Sutton church, which is in fact a misnomer (see "History," below) because it was originally Ulph church, Sutton's church having fallen into ruin by the early 19th century. Burnham Ulph is likely to have been the first settlement in the Burnhams, with the other parishes coming later.

History

The name of this church derives from the late 18C when the incumbent, Edmund Nelson, (the father of Horatio), found both his churches in a poor state and applied to cease using Burnham Sutton Church and to combine its parish with that of Burnham Ulph, becoming the parish of Burnham Sutton cum Ulph, using the church that was originally built for Burnham Ulph. Sutton Church remains a ruin with low walls about 400 yards to the south.

There are the remains of a Saxon burial ground about two fields away, and there are signs of Saxon work in the flint walls of the nave. The earliest chancel was probably short and apsidal. The chancel arch is transitional, between Norman and Early English, about 1190AD.  The square-ended chancel that went with it was extended again in the 15C.

The Church consists of a simple nave and chancel, a 15C south porch and a Victorian north vestry, accessed by the old north door. The windows have been updated or renewed many times over the centuries, although a Norman one is still visible in the south nave. There is no tower, but one bell hangs in the bell-cote above the west end of the nave.

Much of what is now to be seen inside is the result of restoration work done in Victorian times, including the font, and early in the 20C, although the pulpit dates from the Georgian era. At the east end of the nave earlier head corbels (one with his tongue out, the other with his hands in his mouth) support the trussed rafter roof that was put on in 1908.

Key facts

The smallest church and oldest parish of the Burnhams.

Benefice services are held here every Wednesday (09.30 - BCP Holy Communion), and also when there is a 5th Sunday in a month.

This church is where the benefice has its All Souls and Christingle services.