IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Fornham Lane, BURY ST. EDMUNDS, IP33 3TQ

The church of St Mary Westley near to Bury St.Edmunds for more info see http://www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/westleym.htm

There are two churches in the village of Westley. One is designated to St Thomas of Canterbury and now in ruins > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1861514. The other - St Mary - was built by architect William Ranger in 1835 on a new site that was chosen by the Marquess of Bristol, who gave the land so that the church would be visible from his estate at nearby Ickworth. St Mary's was the first church in England that was built by using precast concrete blocks and hence has a unique place in the history of church building. The church tower is situated at the south-west corner of the church and functions as a porch. By 1959 heavy pieces of the roughcast covering the spire fell onto the roof and the building had to be closed whilst the spire was removed and replaced with the pyramidal roof that now covers the tower. The church houses two marble slabs that came from the old church as do the lead-lined font bowl > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073916 and a carved face > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073910 originating from the old chancel screen can be seen on the west wall.

There are two churches in the village of Westley. One is designated to St Thomas of Canterbury and now in ruins > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1861514. The other - St Mary > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073892 - was built by architect William Ranger in 1835 on a new site that was chosen by the Marquess of Bristol, who gave the land so that the church would be visible from his estate at nearby Ickworth. St Mary's was the first church in England that was built by using precast concrete blocks and hence has a unique place in the history of church building. The church tower is situated at the south-west corner of the church and functions as a porch. By 1959 heavy pieces of the roughcast covering the spire fell onto the roof and the building had to be closed whilst the spire was removed and replaced with the pyramidal roof that now covers the tower. The church houses two marble slabs that came from the old church as do the lead-lined font bowl > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073916 and a carved face > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073910 originating from the old chancel screen can be seen on the west wall.

William IV was on the throne in 1835 when this church was built from concrete and plastered with a stucco finish. However, this proved a poor choice and was stripped off and the building cement-rendered. Built chiefly at the expense of The Marquis of Bristol to his design and in sight of his home at Ickworth Hall. Since the crumbling spire was removed in 1959, and trees have grown, the church is no longer visible from Ickworth. Some of the important monuments were rescued from the old church of Thomas Becket and installed here. Marble floor slabs in the nave commemorate members of the Brooks family, who also made a substantial financial contribution to the building of St Mary’s. A restored wood and plaster set of Hanoverian Arms hang on the west wall.

There are two churches in the village of Westley. One is designated to St Thomas of Canterbury and now in ruins > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1861514. The other - St Mary > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073892 -was built by architect William Ranger in 1835 on a new site that was chosen by the Marquess of Bristol, who gave the land so that the church would be visible from his estate at nearby Ickworth. St Mary's was the first church in England that was built by using precast concrete blocks and hence has a unique place in the history of church building. The church tower is situated at the south-west corner of the church and functions as a porch. By 1959 heavy pieces of the roughcast covering the spire fell onto the roof and the building had to be closed whilst the spire was removed and replaced with the pyramidal roof that now covers the tower. The church houses two marble slabs that came from the old church as do the lead-lined font bowl > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073916 and a carved face > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073910 originating from the old chancel screen can be seen on the west wall.

There are two churches in the village of Westley. One is designated to St Thomas of Canterbury and now in ruins > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1861514. The other - St Mary > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073892 - was built by architect William Ranger in 1835 on a new site that was chosen by the Marquess of Bristol, who gave the land so that the church would be visible from his estate at nearby Ickworth. St Mary's was the first church in England that was built by using precast concrete blocks and hence has a unique place in the history of church building. The church tower is situated at the south-west corner of the church and functions as a porch. By 1959 heavy pieces of the roughcast covering the spire fell onto the roof and the building had to be closed whilst the spire was removed and replaced with the pyramidal roof that now covers the tower. The church houses two marble slabs that came from the old church as do the lead-lined font bowl and a carved face > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073910 originating from the old chancel screen can be seen on the west wall.

There are two churches in the village of Westley. One is designated to St Thomas of Canterbury and now in ruins > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1861514. The other - St Mary > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073892 - was built by architect William Ranger in 1835 on a new site that was chosen by the Marquess of Bristol, who gave the land so that the church would be visible from his estate at nearby Ickworth. St Mary's was the first church in England that was built by using precast concrete blocks and hence has a unique place in the history of church building. The church tower is situated at the south-west corner of the church and functions as a porch. By 1959 heavy pieces of the roughcast covering the spire fell onto the roof and the building had to be closed whilst the spire was removed and replaced with the pyramidal roof that now covers the tower. The church houses two marble slabs that came from the old church as do the lead-lined font bowl > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073916 and a carved face originating from the old chancel screen can be seen on the west wall.

There are two churches in the village of Westley. One is designated to St Thomas of Canterbury and now in ruins > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1861514. The other - St Mary > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073892 - was built by architect William Ranger in 1835 on a new site that was chosen by the Marquess of Bristol, who gave the land so that the church would be visible from his estate at nearby Ickworth. St Mary's was the first church in England that was built by using precast concrete blocks and hence has a unique place in the history of church building. The church tower is situated at the south-west corner of the church and functions as a porch. By 1959 heavy pieces of the roughcast covering the spire fell onto the roof and the building had to be closed whilst the spire was removed and replaced with the pyramidal roof that now covers the tower. The church houses two marble slabs that came from the old church as do the lead-lined font bowl > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073916 and a carved face > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073910 originating from the old chancel screen can be seen on the west wall.

There are two churches in the village of Westley. One is designated to St Thomas of Canterbury and now in ruins > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1861514. The other - St Mary > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073892 - was built by architect William Ranger in 1835 on a new site that was chosen by the Marquess of Bristol, who gave the land so that the church would be visible from his estate at nearby Ickworth. St Mary's was the first church in England that was built by using precast concrete blocks and hence has a unique place in the history of church building. The church tower is situated at the south-west corner of the church and functions as a porch. By 1959 heavy pieces of the roughcast covering the spire fell onto the roof and the building had to be closed whilst the spire was removed and replaced with the pyramidal roof that now covers the tower. The church houses two marble slabs that came from the old church as do the lead-lined font bowl > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073916 and a carved face > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073910 originating from the old chancel screen can be seen on the west wall.

There are two churches in the village of Westley. One is designated to St Thomas of Canterbury and now in ruins > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1861514. The other - St Mary > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073892 - was built by architect William Ranger in 1835 on a new site that was chosen by the Marquess of Bristol, who gave the land so that the church would be visible from his estate at nearby Ickworth. St Mary's was the first church in England that was built by using precast concrete blocks and hence has a unique place in the history of church building. The church tower is situated at the south-west corner of the church and functions as a porch. By 1959 heavy pieces of the roughcast covering the spire fell onto the roof and the building had to be closed whilst the spire was removed and replaced with the pyramidal roof that now covers the tower. The church houses two marble slabs that came from the old church as do the lead-lined font bowl > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073916 and a carved face > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2073910 originating from the old chancel screen can be seen on the west wall.