Churches Welcome Hundreds for Heritage Open Days

Three listed Catholic churches in the Waveney Valley Parish opened to hundreds of visitors during the annual Heritage Open Days. For the first time, all three listed churches in the parish participated in the event.

St Edmund’s in Bungay received 219 visitors over two days, who could take self-guided tours of the church and grounds or view displays of historic items and old photographs. Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Gillingham, which is typically locked outside of Mass times, welcomed 80 visitors. The church provided information panels and a guide to share details about the building.

St Benet’s in Beccles hosted 73 visitors and approximately 60 children from St Benet’s Primary School during its third year of participation. Following the theme of Lives of Ordinary People, the church displayed wedding dresses and photographs from the weddings of past and present parishioners alongside floral arrangements. Visitors also viewed an exhibition of architectural plans and drawings and attended a talk regarding the history of the site and its architect.