ST ANDREW’S CHURCH – RUSHMERE
The original building was a medieval church built in the 12th Century comprising only a small nave and a chancel. Substantial improvements were made in the 15th Century which included a new nave roof, oak carved benches and a south porch, which has now been removed. The substantial tower was built around 1538 to match the tower at St Mary’s Church, Tuddenham.
In 1730 St Andrew’s church served a village population of only 257 souls. With a progressive growth in the population of Rushmere, St Andrew’s has since then been transformed and extended by stages to become the suburban parish church it is today. By 1861 it had fallen into serious disrepair. A programme of comprehensive restoration was undertaken, which included rebuilding the nave and the chancel on the medieval foundations. The north aisle was added. Buttresses were added to strengthen the walls, ‘Improvements’ were added to the tower. Inside the church the carved benches and stained glass windows were made and installed; it is these that we enjoy today. Effectively the whole character of the church changed to reflect the taste of ‘The Gothic Revival’.
During the 20th Century the building has been further extended to cater for much larger congregations arising from the building of Rushmere housing estate and the extension of the outer perimeter of Ipswich. East of the medieval chancel a new eastern nave with an entrance on the south side was designed by George Pace of York and built in contemporary style in 1967; this has doubled the capacity of the building and places a full congregation on three sides of the altar. It transforms a small dark church into a spacious and much brighter building. An integral hall with a high pitched plain tile roof was then added to the church in 1987 as a venue for parish meetings and an extension facility after worship. We now have a larger open parish church with a capacity for congregations up to 320 allowing for greater flexibility in worship and in use.
Also see: http://www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/rushmerestan.htm
The area covered by the Parish can be seen at: http://www.achurchnearyou.com/rushmere-st-andrew/ then click on “Find Us” tab.
