By Jeanne O’Reilly
The Parish Church, dedicated to St. Andrew is a Grade I listed building, which stands on the eastern outskirts of the village, set back from the road and surrounded by trees. An enormous lime towers over the gateway and path to the church.
The churchyard is enclosed on the north side by a flint wall, while on the south side a cement block wall is the boundary of the recent extension. The land for the extension was given in 1953 by Captain Robert Snare and the wall was built by men of the parish who gave their time and labour to the church. In 1999 the wall was extensively repaired.
The Domesday Survey of 1086 noted that Tostock had 'a Church with 12 acres of freeland in alms'. The present building appears to date from the 11th century. From the appearance of flint work on the south side of the chancel wall, it suggests the possibility of an earlier building on the same site.
The church is built mainly of flint, limestone and redbrick work with freestone dressings. It has a square battlemented tower, nave, chancel, south porch and a north vestry.
The building, which we see today, has evolved during the centuries and has undergone many extensions and alterations to make it fit the requirements of the parish according to its needs at the time.
The exterior has many interesting features. The tower was constructed in stages, begun in about 1350, in the late Decorated style, with both west and north doorways being of the same period.
Completion of the battlemented tower can be dated approximately to the 1460’s as the oldest bell of the present peal of four dates from that time. (1)
Between 1997 and 1999, the parish was involved in fund raising to restore the bells in time for the Millennium. The four bells were brought down from the tower in 1960 when the tower needed repair and the old bell frame was unsafe. The bells had not rung full circle for many years previously.
The oldest bell, the treble, is believed to date from 1460. The second bell, cast in 1527 by Robert Reve of Bury St Edmunds, is dedicated 'Sanct Petre ora pro nobis' - St Peter pray for us. This bell carries an unique maker's mark. Over the centuries the rim has been chipped away in an effort to improve the tone but to no avail.
The third bell, also cast in 1527 by Robert Reve, is dedicated 'Sancta Maria ora pro nobis' - St Mary pray for us. This bell was badly cracked and needed urgent repair work by Soundwell of Lode.
The tenor was cast in 167l by Robert Gurney of Bury St Edmunds. It has no dedication, but has an impressed pattern of coins around the rim. (2)
Three new bells were cast in Loughborough during the summer of 1999. A new treble was donated by Mr R M Clouston, Diocesan Bells Advisor, in memory of the late Mrs C F Clouston, and a second new bell was donated in memory of Brigadier R B T Daniell D.S.O., formerly of Tostock, by his family. The 'Parish Bell' is dedicated to St Andrew and carries the names of the Rector and Churchwardens.
The bells were hung in a new steel frame built by Mr A Baines of Diss, and the new ringing gallery was designed and built by John Pamment of Norton. (p14)
The new peal consists of the new treble, the new second, the 1460 bell, St Andrew, St Mary and the tenor of 1671. St Peter has been hung separately as the chiming bell. The first ring of the new peal took place on Christmas Day 1999.
On the outside of the tower can be seen the medieval turreted stair which leads to the bell chamber, and also in the corner where the tower abuts the nave, is the evidence of work done to extend and enlarge the church. The original church was much narrower than the present building, the various levels of the stone stringcourse and examples of different flint work show where alterations have been made. At the base of the tower there is evidence that the buttresses were cut back and incorporated into the new wider west wall of the nave.
On the south side of the tower there are two scratched mass dials one on the lower part of the stair turret which is now very faint and a clearer one on the end block of stone above the porch. A stick would have been placed in the central hole and the shadow cast by the sun would indicate the time of service. The south porch was probably the last part of the construction, thought to have been completed by 1480. The two buttresses at the entrance have carvings which have become very faint, now almost illegible. On the left is the IHS with a crown, the symbol for Jesus Christ, and on the right is a crown with MR for St Mary. The holy water stoup has been blocked up since at least 1750, probably much earlier, while the empty niche over the entrance may once have contained a statue of St Andrew.
Further along the south side of the nave wall to the right of the third window can be seen the position of the turret stair which gave access to the roof loft, while the doorways can be seen inside the church. At the east end of the nave wall can be seen two niches, one on each side, both containing traces of colour indicating that they may have contained statues of saints. On entering the church the light from the six long plain windows of the nave gives a feeling of spaciousness and height. The new red carpet given in memory of Mr P Chapman and Miss O Phillips adds a touch of bright warm colour to the simplicity of the interior. The church is cleaned by parishioners and fresh flowers always decorate the chancel and porch, indicating that this ancient building is much loved and cared for. (p15)
The nave windows consist of three three-light perpendicular windows dating from approximately 1460 on each side. The west window of late Decorated period, about 1350 now contains a memorial window to George James Edward Brown of Tostock Place, who died in 1857. This was installed in 1872 by his widow Mrs Catherine Brown.
The east window is a three light lancet of Early English style of 1300s, with three quatrefoils above. The glass is now mainly Victorian with some fragments of medieval glass remaining. Repairs were also made to the stonework of the window during the 19th century restorations.
The chancel contains two windows of the Early English period, while the sanctuary window was discovered during the restoration of the chancel in 1889, having previously been covered up.
In front of the north door stands the octagonal font, dating from the 14th century. The base is reeded and the sides are carved with patterns of foliage, two panels depicting the wild man or wood-wose. A third wild man has been found carved on a spandrel of a hammer beam in the roof near the font identifying pagan symbols around the baptismal font. The original wooden cover has been lost but an ancient lock remains beside the 18th century lead basin. (p16)
The font is a real link with the past, babies having been baptised here for so many centuries. The nave contains twelve rows of benches. the first four on each side being Victorian copies, the rest are wonderful medieval originals with carvings on the pew ends of birds, animals and imaginary beasts.
The heavy oak seats are rough hewn planks, not meant for comfort, so today we supply cushions for those who find the seats too uncomfortable. The pews show signs of having been altered or reordered at various times. The wall benches were provided during the major restoration of 1848.
In the 1830s the visiting Archdeacon ordered the churchwardens to provide more seating for the congregation – they finally did somewhat unwillingly 'there is already ample accommodation for the entire parish if they cared to attend ! '(3).
The pulpit to the left of the arch and the reading desk were part of the 1848 restoration, paid for by the Revd W G Tuck, Patron and Rector from 1861-1887, and Mr G J E Brown of Tostock Place.
A magnificent roof of arched braces alternating with double hammer beams spans the nave, unusual in its single span of 27 feet. It is believed to be among the earliest of its kind in Suffolk, dating from 1460-1480 and has such decorative features as traceried spandrels, carved arch-braces, moulded upper collars and king posts.
The chancel arch is of Early English style dating from 1300, and to the right hand side is a niche, possibly once an altar, which contains the Parish Memorial to those who died in the First World War. Unusually, this memorial is a painting of 'The Altar Of Sacrifice' by the Hon Marion de Saumarez of Shrubland Hall, near Ipswich. (p17)
There is a list of thirteen names of men of this parish who died in the war, and one name, an airman, who died in the Second World War. These names arc read out at our Remembrance Day service every year.
The position of the roof loft stair can be seen on the south wall, near the arch. The doorway at ground level is now blocked up, but the upper doorway is open. It is possible that the enlarging and heightening of the church in the 1450s was to accommodate a structure as large as the roof loft and screen, which fitted across the Chancel arch. (4). Above the loft or beam hung the rood, a figure of Christ crucified with St Mary and St John. A parapet in front of the loft was known as the candle-beam. Tostock residents of the early 16th century showed their devotion to the church and saints by leaving money in their wills. In 1507, Isobel Fynche left '20 shillings to the making of the candle-beam'. In 1508, Thomas Byxby left '5 nobles to the candle-beam'. There is no record of when the roof loft and screen was removed but it is most unlikely they survived into the 17th century. They were ordered to be removed in 1548 and again in 1559, after reinstatement in the reign of Mary I, though the screen may have survived for longer.
In 1664, on February 5th of that year, William Dowsing, the 'Parliamentary Visitor for demolishing Superstitious Pictures and Ornaments of Churches in the County of Suffolk', arrived at Tostock church on his journey through the county.
His journal records that at 'Tostick we broke down about 16 superstitious pictures and gave orders to take down 40 more and to level the steps. We took a superstitious inscription with "ora pro nobis"'. These pictures would have included the carved angels in the roof, statues of saints, coloured glass windows and figures on pew ends (5).
In the chancel stands the electric organ, purchased in 1985 to replace a Victorian harmonium. 'Miss K Mash was organist for 76 years until her retirement due to ill health in 1997 .
There are memorial tablets to local families on the walls of the chancel, several to the family of the Revd Orbell Ray and his wife Priscilla, who lived in Tostock Place. He was a wealthy yarn maker with a business in Bury St Edmunds, and related to the Oakes family, wool merchants and bankers. The Revd Orbell Ray was a financial benefactor to the parish and assisted the Rector at times, taking baptisms and burial services. He died in 1829, aged 89. (p18)
His eldest son Orbell Ray, has a memorial here and is buried in an iron-bound grave at the north east corner of the chancel.
Beneath the choir stalls is a poignant small black tablet to Adelaide Matilda Oakes, aged 11 days, who died in 1811. She was the child of the Revd James Oakes and his wife Elisabeth.
There are two memorial tablets above the pulpit to the Brown family of Tostock Place. The first is in memory of George James Edward Brown who died aged34 in February 1857. He fell ill with smallpox after being vaccinated against the disease, and in order to save his wife and two year old son from infection, he went to stay at the Angel Hotel in Bury where sadly, he died. He is also commemorated by the west window installed many years later by his widow. The other memorial is to his eldest son Walter, born in 1855 who died in 1905.
The list of Rectors of St Andrew's church dates from 1308, an almost unbroken line from the past to the present. Beside the communion table several ancient tombstones have been incorporated into the floor, one dedicated to Sir Robert Potken, Rector who died in 1556, and another belonging to Maurice Moseley, Rector in 1795. The longest serving Rector was the Revd James Oakes, 1796 to 1861, the second son of the Bury banker and diarist, James Oakes. Mr Oakes purchased the living of Tostock for his son on his marriage, and rebuilt the rectory for him. Land was also purchased to provide the family with financial means, until the Revd James Oakes's estate grew to the size of the present Rectory Farm, making him one of the three major land owners in the Parish. The other two were the Revd Orbell Ray, related to the Oakes, and Mr George Brown, banker, of Tostock Place.
There was considerable rivalry between the Revd Mr Oakes and Mr Brown - both were very busy building and improving their respective properties at the same time, and both men had a considerable impact on the lives of the villagers. Mr Brown was probably a dissenter, although he helped to provide a Sunday School and also supported the church, and served as overseer of the poor. Those villagers with nonconformist leanings and any with a grievance against the church, gravitated towards Mr Brown.
In a further chapter it is explained that nonconformist meetings were being held by licence in 1839 in a barn in Tostock owned by Mrs Brown. (p19)
The village seemed to polarise between the Rector and the banker, with people taking sides. Finally the rivalry came to a head in January 1816 over the payment of the Poors Charity'
The Poors Estate Charity was set up by Lawrence Wright of Tostock in his will of 1674. He left land in Beyton and Tostock to be rented out and the proceeds thus derived to be used to provide for the poor. The Charity Board of 1817 kept in the belfry stated that the deserving poor were 'to be provided with flannel petticoats, worsted stockings, coals and other necessities'. This charity is still in existence today, the land being the allotments in Church Road, and rents from the allotments are used to give an annual payment to elderly residents at Christmas.
The original rules stated that five trustees should administer the Charity, the Chairman always being the Rector. However, by 1815, the number of trustees had dropped with none being replaced, leaving the administration solely in the hands of the Revd James Oakes. He collected the money and decided who should receive the annual payment. Naturally he chose those poor persons who attended church, thus ignoring the claims of non attenders. For those already receiving parish relief the extra money would have been a welcome bonus, though residents of the workhouse were not eligible.
On 6th January 1816, the Revd James Oakes was in church, preparing to make payments to the chosen poor from a small purse, when in marched Mr Brown and his supporters. He snatched the purse containing £6 from the Rector and accused him of ignoring the rules, and of being 'an enemy of the people' .
On March 23rd 1816, at Bury Crown Court, the Revd James Oakes brought a charge of assault against Mr Brown. After much deliberation the charge was finally dropped as 'intent to injure' could not be proved. The affair rumbled on for some time with both parties writing long letters to the Bury and Norwich Post, giving the public their various opinions on village 'politics'.
Finally an appeal was made to the Lord Chancellor as an independent adjudicator, who approved the proposals of a parish meeting held on 18th March 1816 at which it was decided to appoint twelve trustees: Mr Brown, Chairman, the Revd James Oakes' the Revd Orbell Ray, Harrington Willis, John Bacon, John Bristow, William Bauley, Orbell Ray junior, George Boldero, John Jannings and the Revd R Kedington. (p20)
The list includes land owners, farmers and tradesmen.(6)
The Revd James Oakes was succeeded by the Revd W G Tuck in 1861. The Revd William Tuck lived at Tostock House and it was he who had initiated the major restoration of the Church in 1848 when he had purchased the living of Tostock from the Revd Mr Oakes, during whose long incumbency the church had fallen into considerable disrepair.
In 1887 the Revd Julian Tuck followed his father as Rector of Tostock. He was a renowned botanist and naturalist. Again he paid for a complete restoration of the Chancel which was the incumbent's responsibility, while the nave was supposed to be cared for by the people. In 1889 the completion of the work was celebrated with a commemorative service on St Andrew's Day.
The large brass candlesticks used every Sunday were given on this occasion by Miss Tuck, the rector's sister, and the beautiful altar cross was also donated in memory of the Revd S H Owen of Burstall Staffordshire, whose curate the Revd Mr Tuck had once been.
Some older residents still remember Julian Tuck, as he remained Rector until 1933, with his love of flowers and wildlife. Stories were told of how his sister sometimes had to drag him into church to take the service to get him away from some fascinating plant in the churchyard. He was also remembered by the schoolchildren as he administered punishment in the village school.
The churchyard is a well kept peaceful place of mature trees and moss encrusted ancient gravestones, contrasting with the neat rows of headstones in the modern extension. The oldest grave identified so far is that of John Bulbrooke, gent, who died in 1641, a simple slab engraved with a coat of arms on the south side of the chancel. Nearby is the resting place of Susan Howlett who died in 1688, a beautifully carved stone with a cherub. The Tuck family grave is an imposing tomb, surounded by iron railings, while nearby stands a plain wooden cross dedicated to Gilbert Tuck, son of the Revd Julian Tuck, who died on active service in France during the first World War. He was buried in France and is commemorated on the War Memorial. (p21)
Near the porch stands a row of four headstones, the last one being a double headstone to the memory of Thomas Chapman who died June 1756 aged 111, and his wife Elisabeth.
A member of Tostock Women's Institute writing in 1930 commented that Tostock 'was a very healthy place to live, where people live as long as they like'.
So many people of Tostock lie in this quiet place, some, like George Brown remembered with an elegant tomb beneath a great yew tree, others with carved headstones. But many parishioners would have come here unrecorded, soon forgotten, as in 1771, the Town Book entry for 4th May stated 'payment for burial of George Wright's wife a pauper on parish relief, a coffin 8/-, for the winding shroud 3/-, for the laying out of her 2/-, for the affedavy 6d., Samuel Copsey for Bell and grave 3/-, for reading the burial 2/- (7)
This church and churchyard is truly the heart and soul of the parish it serves.
References
1. Proceedings of Suffolk Institute of History & Archaeology voI.XXXVIII part 3 (1995) Clive Paine.
2. Information supplied by Mr R M Clouston MBE FSA, Diocesan Bells Advisor.
3. Tostock Churchwardens Accounts SRO(B) FL 642/5/1.
4. H Munro Cautley Suffolk Churches p 327
5. The Revd C H E White ed. Journal of William Dowsing edition of 1885.
6. The Oakes Diaries edited by Jane Fiske, Suffolk Records Society, vol. XXXIII (1991) p.200.
1. Tostock Town Book (1771-1802) FL 642/1/6. (p22)
NOTE: Originally published by Tostock Past and Present Society in 2000
