Adding to the Church Micro series
St Peter is that rare beast in Suffolk, a cruciform church. The Norman tower is also unusual, because it seems to have been very little altered over the centuries, common enough in other counties, but rare in Suffolk. As ancient as the chancel is, there must have been an earlier one, for the former roofline shows on the east face of the tower, at the same height as the nave. Beyond the church, the graveyard is fenced off for sheep to graze, but you can climb over and take a look at the south side which is equally interesting and lovely, with a rather extraordinary north doorway, and a memorial to Peragrine Clackett. Mortlock thought that the Victorians had extended the nave, but it is all done very well indeed. A pretty little 18th century chapel, which Mortlock tells us was the family pew for the Hall, is the finishing touch.
The Norman tower and chancel arches are solid affairs, quite different to the fey Decorated and Perpendicular architecture found in most of the county. It is worth taking a close look, since there are a number of unusual carvings on them.
Ousden is most famous for its memorial to Laeititia Moseley, which features Suffolk's finest and scariest skeleton. She wears her shroud and grins wildly. Quite what generations of Ousden children have made of her I couldn't say, but I bet she has been the catalyst for more than a few bad dreams.
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For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration please read the Place your own Church Micro page before you contact him at churchmicro.co.uk
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
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