Mutford St Andrew

What you need to know about this church

St Andrews Church Mutford

Where to find this church

Church Information

St Andrews church is located in Mutford, a village in Suffolk about 2 miles south-west of Carlton Colville.

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Mutford St Andrew church
Tower from the west
Mutford St Andrew church
Galilee porch

Visiting Mutford St Andrew

The round tower of St Andrew’s in Mutford is the tallest of them all, standing at 66 feet, 6 inches! It was probably originally built in the 12th century. The flint work changes about half of the way up, and just below this is evidence of the first belfry. The small openings, with stone frames, to north and south are blocked, and the west one has been altered. The tall narrow window facing west lower down is 13th century. The top of the circular part and the present belfry have different flint work to that lower down, so probably the tower was heightened in the 14th century, and then changed to octagonal just below the string course that the belfry openings sit on. There are four belfry openings, with four panels of blind window tracery between. The unusual thing here is the Galilee Porch, a west porch added on to the tower, probably in the 14th century. It has a wide round-headed arch. The nave’s north-west quoin is made of Caen stone, and has the same flintwork either side of it, in the north and west walls, so gives a date of the 12th century for the original nave. Also added in the 14th century were the south aisle and the chancel. The east wall of the chancel has a 6 feet high base course of an early flushwork frieze, which could be of the same time as the parapet on the tower, late 14th century. The south aisle’s east wall has been totally rebuilt in red brick, and at the same time the south-west chancel window was changed from a pointed window to a square one with red brick infill around it.

In front of the pointed chamfered tower arch, probably changed when the Galilee porch was added making the main doorway to the west of the tower, stands the late 14th century font. It has an inscription on the top of its plinth declaring it was the gift of Dame Elizabeth Hengrave 1380. The panels of the bowl are blank and have been defaced. The corona has angel heads with overlapping wings, above a band of small human heads. The four seated lions round the stem are somewhat bashed about. The 18th century pulpit came from the redundant round tower church at Morton-on-the-Hill. Near it is a low chevroned arch of the 12th century in the north nave wall, possibly marking the founder’s tomb.

Conclusion: village church with the highest of all round towers in East Anglia

Mutford St Andrew church
14th century font
Mutford St Andrew church
View into the chancel