St. Lawrence’s Church is a plain but ancient fabric, which is mentioned in Domesday Book, but is said to have been rebuilt in 1431 by John Bottold, who was buried in it, as also was Edmund Daundy, one of the benefactors of the town, who died in 1515. Upon the wall, behind the western gallery, is a painting of Christ disputing with the doctors, executed by Sir R. K. Porter, a military officer, during his sojourn at the barracks here. The benefice was appropriated to Trinity Priory, and is now a perpetual curacy, valued at £175. The parishioners are patrons; the Rev. J. C. Aldrich, incumbent.
St. Margaret’s Church, on the green to which it gives name, is a large and ancient structure of mixed architecture, consisting of a chancel, nave, aisles, and transepts, with a fine tower and south porch. It has a curious antique font, and a singularly painted ceiling, with several grotesque carvings standing out from the walls. The benefice is a perpetual curacy, valued at £115, in the patronage of Simeon’s Trustees, and incumbency of the Rev. J. Owen, M.A.
St. Mary-at-Elms is an ancient church, with a brick tower, supposed to stand near or upon the site of St. Saviour’s, as already noticed. In front of it is a row of fine elms, and near it are Smyth’s almshouses, and several old dwellings, bearing marks of former grandeur. This church was appropriated to Trinity Priory, and is now a perpetual curacy, valued at £80, in the gift of the parishioners, and incumbency of the Rev. W. Aldrich, A.B.
St. Mary-at-the-Quay is a plain structure, with a tower curiously built of flint, and containing six bells. It is commonly called Key Church, and must have been rebuilt after 1448, when Richard Gowty ordered his body to be buried in the churchyard, and gave Calyon stone “for the whole new church, which was to be erected.” The church spoliator, Dowsing, paid a visit to this edifice in 1643, and tore down nine superstitious pictures, and destroyed many inscriptions. The roof is supported by light clustered columns; and in a small transept is the tomb of Henry Tooley, the founder of the almshouses bearing his name. The living is a perpetual curacy, valued at £103, in the gift of the parishioners, and incumbency of the Rev. John Duningham, M.A.
St. Mary-at-Stoke, commonly called Stoke Church, is picturesquely seated on the south bank of the river Gipping, opposite the rest of the town, and consists of a nave, chancel, north aisle, a fine tower, and a brick porch. It is of ancient foundation, but has undergone so many repairs and renovations, that little of the original fabric remains. It was given by King Edgar, in 970, to the prior and convent of Ely; and their successors, the Dean and Chapter of Ely, are now patrons of the rectory, which is valued in K.B. at £12, and is now worth about £500 per annum; the tithes having been commuted for a yearly modus of £475. The Rev. Stephen Croft, M.A., is the present incumbent.
St. Mary le Tower is the largest, and is considered the principal church in the town, though only a perpetual curacy, valued at £103, in the gift of the parishioners, and incumbency of the Rev. Wm. Nassau St. Leger, B.A., who is now military chaplain at Corfu. The present officiating curate is the Rev. L. Stanton.
St. Matthew’s Church, at the west end of the town, stands in a large burial ground, and is a plain, unassuming structure, consisting of a nave, chancel, side aisles, tower, and south porch. It was re-pewed about 1840, and was enlarged in 1843 by the extension of the south aisle. A further enlargement is in contemplation. The font is ancient, and has a finely carved cover, executed and presented by Mr. Hewett. At the east end of the south aisle is an elaborately painted glass window, inserted in December, 1853, in memory of the late wife of the present rector. It was executed by Geo. Hedgeland, Esq., from a design by Edward Howard, Esq., a brother of the deceased. The church has galleries and about 850 sittings. The Lord Chancellor is patron, the Rev. Charles Hicks Gaye, M.A., incumbent.
St. Nicholas’ Church, in the lower part of the town, near the river, is supposed to have been built upon the site and partly with the materials of St. Michael’s, which is mentioned in Domesday Book. It is built partly of flint, and has a cemented tower, containing four bells. It was repaired and newly fitted with open benches in 1848, at the cost of about £300. It was appropriated to St. Peter’s Priory, and is now a perpetual curacy, valued at £150, in the gift of the parishioners, and incumbency of the Rev. Charles Ward, M.A.
St. Peter’s is one of the most ancient churches in the town, standing close to the site of Wolsey’s College. It is a plain structure, consisting of a chancel, nave, aisles, south porch, and a tower containing six bells. The tower is a good specimen of the flint work so frequently observed in Suffolk and Norfolk. In 1842–3, the church was repaired and repewed, and the burial ground enclosed. A new gallery was erected in 1848. The font is very ancient, and covered with carvings of animals. The perpetual curacy, valued at £138, is in the gift of Simeon’s Trustees, and incumbency of the Rev. H. T. Lumsden, M.A.
St. Stephen’s is one of the churches mentioned in Domesday Book, and is mostly built of flint, except the tower, which is brick cemented. It contains a monument, with kneeling effigies of Wm. Leeman and his wife. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £4. 12s. 8½d., and now at £150, is in the patronage of the Rev. W. Burgess, and incumbency of the Rev. Thos. Davidson, B.A.