The Alabaster Society

The Family History Society
of the Alabaster Family

 
A gallery of pictures taken in and around
Hadleigh during the Alabaster Gathering in April 2005

St. Mary`s Church, Hadleigh, viewed from the south. The Guildhall faces the church across the churchyard.

Left: showing the ornamental roof, with a typical boss and corbel.

The memorial window to W.A.B.Jones: the restoration was paid for by members of the Alabaster Society.

Left: Decorative roof corbel in St. Mary`s Church.

The brass dedicated to Thomas Alabaster, with (below) a transcript of the inscription.

HERE LYETH BVRYED THOMAS ALABASTER WHO
BEING ABOVT 70 YEERES OLD WHEREOF HAVING
LYVED IN THIS TOWNE A CLOTHIER ABOVT 50
YEERES ALWAYES A GODLY VERTVOVS AND
DISCREETE LYFE ·HE DYED IN THE FAYTH OF
CHRIST IHESVS OVR SAVIOVR ON THE 12
DAY OF IANVARY 1592                      

Brass memorial to Ann Still (née Alabaster) in St. Mary`s Church.

Right: This reproduction of a painting by Thomas Gainsborough is in the Deanery Tower. Even though the original colour has been lost, it does indicate how the Church looked in our forefathers` time. Note the balustrade around the spire, removed in the 19th century to prevent rainwater entering, and the central porch with sundial, remnants of which were used in the wall of the south aisle. In the 16th century civic leaders would walk in procession from the Guildhall into the Church through this entrance. Also shown are the Deanery Tower with the previous Deanery (later demolished and rebuilt closer to the Church) behind it.

The Deanery Tower, built in 1495, is noted for its remarkable ornamental brickwork, expertly described to members of the Society by Roger Kennell (pictured below). The south (left-hand) tower contains the Dean`s former garde-robe, now sealed up to prevent draughts, and, on the upper floor of the same tower, a tiny chapel.

The view from the top of the Deanery Tower towards the Guildhall.

The view from the rear, west, side of the Deanery, showing the spire of St. Mary`s in the background. The private garden stretches down to the river.

 The decorated vaulted roof of the tiny chapel in the Deanery Tower.

The name of Alabaster is still remembered in Hadleigh today.

There are more pictures of Hadleigh on the Gathering page,
and even more can be found here: http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=2570557