This is not a big church, smaller and prettier than Troston. What they both share is a beautiful porch, replete with flint flushwork and Marian iconography, completed on the eve of the Reformation. This is the devotional English Church at perhaps its highest point. But this church is a much older one than its porch, as you see as you go through the outer doors, and find the great Norman doorway. It is one of the half dozen best in all Suffolk, and similar to that at nearby Sapiston, more awe-inspiring, perhaps, although less beautiful.
Inside, all is neat, bright and devotional. You might even think it a little tame and polite, after the grandeur of the porch, the mystery of the doorway. With its plastered ceilure, the grand Norman chancel arch is a rather curious thing. You could be forgiven for thinking, for a moment, that it is an 18th century classical conceit. However, despite its domestication, Honington church has a couple of splendid survivals. One is the 14th century font. It has familiar tracery patterns on 7 sides, but the 8th has a heart-achingly lovely crucifixion scene. Above the cross are the sun and moon in the sky, and Mary lifts her hands imploringly, while John holds his head in despair.
The other great treasure is at the other end of the church, for although Honington suffered one of Suffolk's very last destructive restorations, when all the medieval benches were removed on the eve of World War I, some of the bench ends survived. They have been incorporated into the choir stalls in the chancel. Here you'll find Honington's famous bagpiper, the quality suggesting that he is part of the body of work of the same carver at Ixworth Thorpe.
Excerpt taken from Simon Knott, July 2019, Link below ' Suffolk Churches'
There are 57 Common Wealth War Grave (CWWG) headstones in the site behind the church (although there are many other military graves linked to RAF Honington in the other graveyard)
Inside, all is neat, bright and devotional. You might even think it a little tame and polite, after the grandeur of the porch, the mystery of the doorway. With its plastered ceilure, the grand Norman chancel arch is a rather curious thing. You could be forgiven for thinking, for a moment, that it is an 18th century classical conceit. However, despite its domestication, Honington church has a couple of splendid survivals. One is the 14th century font. It has familiar tracery patterns on 7 sides, but the 8th has a heart-achingly lovely crucifixion scene. Above the cross are the sun and moon in the sky, and Mary lifts her hands imploringly, while John holds his head in despair.
The other great treasure is at the other end of the church, for although Honington suffered one of Suffolk's very last destructive restorations, when all the medieval benches were removed on the eve of World War I, some of the bench ends survived. They have been incorporated into the choir stalls in the chancel. Here you'll find Honington's famous bagpiper, the quality suggesting that he is part of the body of work of the same carver at Ixworth Thorpe.
Excerpt taken from Simon Knott, July 2019, Link below ' Suffolk Churches'
There are 57 Common Wealth War Grave (CWWG) headstones in the site behind the church (although there are many other military graves linked to RAF Honington in the other graveyard)
For further history and information on All Saints Church, Honington:
Suffolk Churches
Blackbourne Team Ministry
A Church Near You
Suffolk Churches
Blackbourne Team Ministry
A Church Near You