Church & Chapel

St Marys Church, Barking

St Marys Church, Barking

From a document dated 951 we know there was a church here in Saxon times. This records the gift of the church and lands to the Abbey of Ely when the young Leofsige, son of an Ealdorman( Alderman) of Essex and later to become Abbot of Ely, entered the abbey as a postulant.

The original wooden and thatched church was rebuilt in flint and stone and over a 200 year period from 1350 it was enlarged by having north and south aisles and a clerestory added.

Until 1901 St. Mary's was the parish church of both Barking cum Darmsden and Needham Market, hence its size. A bridle way between Barking and Needham Market known as the ‘ Causeway 'is a corruption of corpse way and was the route taken by funeral processions from Needham. It was last used in 1914.

On 16 December 1869 the corner of the Church tower collapsed. This is the corner which situates the spiral staircase and which turns anticlockwise from the bottom. The traditional arrangement is clockwise and this may have something to do with the re-building.

Originally there were five bells in the tower. Two were from 1400, two from 1650 and the other undated. In 1911 these five bells were melted down and cast by Alfred Bowfell of Ipswich into six bells. They were dedicated on the 21 October 1911 by the Bishop of Norwich. The clapper from the old tenor bell can be seen in the bell tower. The lightest bell is always called the treble and the heaviest the tenor.

The total weight of the bells is 2 tons 6 cwt and 28lb. the individual weights are shown in the PDF below:-

Weights

The Rectory, which is now a private residence, was built by the Rev. Charles Davy who was appointed to the living at the age sixty five. It was completed in 1820 at a cost of £4000. In the rectory grounds are Lebanese cedars planted by Robert Uvedale, an acclaimed botanist, who was Rector from 1699 to 1723.

John Fairfax who was Rector from 1651 until 1663, was removed from his position for refusing to conform with the Act of Uniformity. He served a number of prison sentences and founded the non-conformist chapel at Needham Market, now the United Reformed Church.

Contact Numbers:

Churchwardens - Susan Marsh- 01473 658 583 susan.durward361@btinternet.com

Rosamund Fellowes - 07899 845 390 movease@btinternet.com

Service Pattern:

1st Sunday 3pm Evening Prayer
2nd Sunday 11.15am Holy Communion
3rd Sunday Family Service rotates through the four parishes
4th Sunday 10.00am Morning Prayer

Please phone for further details

Barking Chapel (formerly known as 'The Hall of Barking Tye Friends Mission')

History of Barking Chapel

The new look Chapel after the alterations in 2011

At the start of the twentieth century, a Wilfred Maw often accompanied by his brother Geoffrey would cycle from Needham Market to Barking and preach on the Tye. It is reported that many villagers gathered to listen and eventually regular meetings were held in the school. There being no non-conformist place of worship in the village, it was decided to build a meeting house. A piece of land at the edge of the Tye was given and donations were received for the building work, which cost £400. A brick built hall, still in use today was opened in 1903 as the Hall of Barking Tye Friends' Mission but is more frequently referred to as ‘the Chapel'.

The original building, before the alterations began in 2010

One of the early Pastors was Philip Butler. He was not only a poet, artist, he also wrote a booklet on the Barking Mission and was a farmer who played a major role in the fight against the payment of tithes to the Church. Worshippers still use the same hall today, lead by Pastor Graham Steward.

Barking Chapel - who we are

Barking Chapel is now a free church which holds to the historic christian faith as revealed in the Bible.
We believe that God's good news is just as relevant today as it ever was and invite all who do not worship with another local church already, to join us in discovering what God has to say today.

Regular activities: (see notice below regarding construction work )

Sunday worship at 10.30am
Our Sunday services last around an hour and includes the singing of hymns and prayer. The main focus of our worship is the reading and preaching of the Bible.

Women's Fellowship
This group meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from September to June, commencing at 2pm. This is also a time of worship, followed by an opportunity to chat over a cuppa.

Prayer & Bible Study: Wednesday at 7.30pm
This meeting gives an opportunity for christians to deepen their relationship with God through prayer and studying the Bible together.

Jam Club
Why Jam Club? It stands for Jesus and me. It is a club for children over the age of four and is a fun time which includes various activities based around a theme from the Bible. From time to time throughout the year the members of the Jam Club take part in our Family Service.

Who to contact:

Our Pastor:
Graham Steward 01449 673529
If you would like the Pastor to visit you, or feel that you can help in any way, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Our Church Secretary:
Michael Beales 01449 672395