Church of St Clare, Bradfield

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Church of St Clare, Bradfield
Church of St Clare, Bradfield St Clare
St Clare Bradfield St Clare - geograph.org.uk - 1018098.jpg
Church of St Clare, Bradfield in 2008
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Church of St Clare, Bradfield
Location in Suffolk
52°11′06″N0°47′31″E / 52.1849°N 0.792°E / 52.1849; 0.792
OS grid reference TL 909 577
Location Bradfield St Clare, Suffolk
CountryEngland
Denomination Anglican
History
Dedication All Saints
Architecture
Heritage designationGrade II*
Designated14 July 1955
Architectural type Church
Style Perpendicular Gothic
Specifications
Materials Flint with limestone dressings

The Church of St Clare, Bradfield is the Anglican parish church of Bradfield St Clare, in the district of West Suffolk, Suffolk. The original structure dates back to the 12th century, with modifications being made through the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. The building was restored in 1874. [1] It is a Grade II* listed building. [2]

Contents

The ejection of Paul Gosnold

In November 1643 several parishioners - Robert Bragg, Laurence Hunt, Thomas Kinge, William Rose and Thomas Worton - complained about the rector Paul Gosnold. They drew a list of seven articles providing details of how Gosnold had preached in a scandalous way. They claimed he preached that those who took up arms against the king would find that these arms would rot. On another occasion he compared parliament to a company of owls trying to oust the Princely Eagle whose sight was much quicker. He refused to publish the ordnances, but however published a declaration by King Charles I. They claimed he was a drunkard and gave further account of how he had denounced the parliamentarians, showed no concern about ministers being summoned to Westminster for expressing such hostile views. Further he had then been absent from the parish having previously neglected his duties. [3] These articles were submitted to the Committee for Plundered Ministers but then forwarded to the First Suffolk Committee for Scandalous Ministers who considered the matter on 20 March 1644 (new calendar). The Earl of Manchester issued a warrant for Gosnold's ejection two days later. Initially he was succeeded by his brother-in-law, John Blemel, an assistant master at Bury Grammar School. However this was not approved by the Suffolk Committee. [4] Manchester received a further communication from the Suffolk County Committee, saying that Gosnold had now been absent for 6 months and requesting Samuel Crossman be appointed as his replacement, which was done. By August 1644 Gosnold was preaching before the Royalist parliament in Oxford. [3]

List of rectors

The rectors of the church from 1578 to 1873. [5]

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References

  1. ↑ "Parish: Bradfield St Clare" (PDF). Suffolk Heritage. Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  2. ↑ "Church of St Clare". Historic England. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  3. 1 2 Holmes, Clive (1970). The Suffolk Committees for Scandalous Ministers, 1644-1646. Ipswich: Suffolk Records Society.
  4. ↑ Freeman Bullen, Reginald (1925). "Sequestrations in Suffolk" (PDF). Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology & Histor. XIX (1): 15–51.
  5. ↑ Haslewood, Francis (1897). "Parish register of Bradfield St Clare 1541 to 1595" (PDF). Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute for Archaeology & History. IX (Part 3): 311–329.
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