"A Brief History of Saint Peter's Church, Baylham, Suffolk - From the booklet written by Roy Tricker 1988.
Parts of the building have stood for at least 890 years although there was a thorough restoration and re-ordering of the church in 1870-1.
Early 1100s: The Norman doorway on the north side of the nave and the layered flint work which occurs in parts of this wall would date it from this time and therefore possibly also the cores of the other nave walls.
1280-1300: The south chancel window remains from this period, and the former east window had intersecting tracery, also from this time, when possibly the chancel was either rebuilt or refashioned.
Early 1300s: The western tower was erected and the beautiful two-light window, with curvilinear, was inserted in the south wall of the nave. Possibly the nave received its roof during this period.
1400s: The font was installed and the Perpendicular style windows inserted; the north-east nave window (of two lights) and the north-west window (of three lights) although these are not in their original positions.
Early 17th century: A brick porch, similar to that of Nettlestead, was built on the south side of the nave.
1643: The Puritan ‘Inspector’ of churches, William Dowsing, visited the church in search of ‘superstitious pictures and inscriptions’ to destroy. He reported that ‘There is a Trinity in a triangle on the font, and a cross, and the steps (to the chancel) to be levelled, by the Minister, in 21 days’.
1824: David Elisha Davy visited St Peter’s, and his notes give us a picture of the building before its restoration. The nave and chancel had plaster ceilings and the Royal Arms were fixed above the chancel arch. The nave was filled with box pews of deal (which were painted to resemble wainscot), facing a hexagonal pulpit, and there was a ‘neat’ west gallery. At the east end, the communion table was not raised on a step above the chancel floor, but was railed off. On the east wall were two frames containing the Lord’s Prayer, Creed and Commandments, painted on canvas. There were ‘small remains’ of a south west window and the west window of the tower contained figures of two headless angels in medieval glass. In the floors were two ancient burial-slabs which had the indents of lost brasses; one had a helm, inscription and five shields, whilst the other had a chalice and inscription (obviously for a priest). Davy also ascended the tower and noted that the third bell had fallen out of its frame. A ‘modern’ brick vestry had been erected to the north of the chancel, over the Acton vault.
1859: A visitor came to a service conducted by the Rector (the Rev William Colvile), who was described as being aged between 50 and 60, with sharp features ‘marked by a frown of melancholy expression’, who preached to his rustic congregation wearing black kid gloves. He was ‘well-bred to a fault… he displays that insipid formality which clergymen so often assume’!
1870-1: The Rector at the time (the Revd W E Downes) was determined to restore the church, which was reported to have suffered from ‘neglect and injudicious care’. Its floor was occupied by deep pews, the roof was hidden with plaster and the gallery blocked the tower arch. The restoration took place during the closing months of 1870 and the church was reopened on Friday 13th January 1871, having undergone a transformation outside and in. Upon the removal of the plaster ceilings, the main roof timbers were found to be in a good state of preservation, and were cased in matchboards of English chestnut. The west gallery and the box-pews were taken out and this operation revealed parts of the medieval oak rood screen which had been incorporated into the pews, and which were reused in the front panels of the reading desk and in the new-tower screen. The church was seated with new oak benches and the nave floor was laid with Maw’s tiles. There were alterations also in the structure of the building. The brick vestry was replaced by a flint-faced north transept, which was fitted with benches for use by the school children, and a matching transept was built on to the south side. The three-light window in the south wall of the chancel was moved to the north nave wall, and the two-light Perpendicular window was moved to its present position. The east wall was restored and its new window was given glass by Clayton & Bell in memory of the Revd W Colvile. A new porch was built and the external walls were renovated. The architect for this work was Frederick Barnes of Ipswich, who restored many East Suffolk churches and who designed Melton Church, and the railway stations at Needham Market and Stowmarket. The stone work was executed by Mr Vine and Messrs Daniel & Day of Eye. The collection at the Reopening Services came to £46.10s.4d – a very considerable sum in those days. The work cost just over £1,000 of which £500 had been provided by the Acton Family, who had been Lords of the Manor. The five bells which had been re-hung, rang out to celebrate the occasion, and 40 widows and widowers were entertained to dinner by Miss Colvile, the daughter of the former Rector.
20th and 21st Century The work of 1870-1 had left the church much as we see it today, although a great deal has been done since then to maintain and beautify it. In our own times it has been completely re-roofed externally, and the visitor will soon become aware of the love and care which it receives from its present day custodians. It serves a community of about 200 people."
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