The medieval heart of Stowmarket lay around the parish church of St. Peter and St. Mary and in the area leading down to the riverbank. The town has many buildings listed by the Department of National Heritage as buildings of special architectural or historic interest and one, the parish church, is classified as being of “exceptional interest”.

 

The dedication is unusual and results from there having originally been two church buildings in the churchyard. The church of St Mary’s was demolished in 1544 and its dedication appended to the then St Peter’s. The surviving church is mainly fourteenth century, in the Decorated style. The great size of the church is a demonstration of the wealth generated in Stowmarket during the medieval era, largely through the wool and cloth trade. Unlike the famous south Suffolk wool towns Stowmarket did not become a major centre for the manufacture of the finest quality cloth and the church is perhaps as a consequence not so ostentatious. Although its decline probably started in the late medieval period the wool trade struggled on in Stowmarket in various forms before completely dying out in the nineteenth century.

 

Most uncommonly for Suffolk the church had a spire in the medieval period; this was rebuilt in 1674, blown down in the great gale of 1703, rebuilt in 1712, taken down in 1975, and rebuilt in 1993 as a replica of the 1712 spire. The spire is timber framed clad in copper and is very rare in having a gallery within its height.
 

This is one of the Town’s great assets and one of the country’s leading open air museums, occupying a site of 70 acres, within a stones throw from the market place, and containing much to interest any visitor to the region. A number of historic buildings have been moved here from elsewhere in East Anglia, there are extensive exhibition galleries, rare breeds of animals, picnic sites, gift shop, Brambles Café and a lively riverside walk.

 

The Museum also boasts the Abbots Hall within its grounds, which dates from around 1709 and stands on the site of the grange of the Abbots of St Osyth. It is in effect Stowmarket’s manor house and in the past much of the town and surrounding countryside was owned by the occupants of Abbots Hall.

 

The Recreation Ground was purchased through public subscription after the world war. The Town Council now own and maintain it and have added a play area and Skate park. The ground is very well used by residents and visitors for many different activities, including the annual Carnival and Fairs in summer time.

 

The Memorial Gates on the Recreation Ground entrance were erected in memory of the fallen Great War and still play a very important part in Civic events, such as Remembrance Day as well as being a focal point of the grounds.