Discover Yaxley: church art, timber-framed buildings and walking routes

Yaxley offers a range of starting points for planning a stay: medieval architectural features and furnishings in St Mary's Church, historic timber-framed and country-house architecture, as well as permitted walking routes and local group activities.

St Mary's Church: building phases and furnishings

St Mary's Church brings together several clearly distinguishable building phases. Its square, three-storey west tower dates from the 14th century; the large, richly ornamented north porch was built around 1480. This makes it possible to distinguish chronologically and stylistically between an older, multi-storey tower and a later, elaborately decorated feature on the north side.

The furnishings also include a variety of details: remains of a large depiction of the Last Judgement survive above the chancel arch. An iron Sexton's Wheel hangs above the south door, and was probably used to determine fasting days. One is a large-scale religious subject; the other is an object with a presumed practical calendar function. The Sexton's Wheel in St Mary's Church is found in only one other church in the country.

A related motif can also be found outside the church: Yaxley's village sign depicts a cuckoo and a Sexton's Wheel. The wheel is therefore featured both as a church object and on the sign.

Timber-framed buildings and country-house landscape

The Bull Auberge is an early 17th-century timber-framed building, listed Grade II. Its hall and parlour retain ceilings with ovolo mouldings. Alongside the construction of the house, these ceilings provide a specific detail of its interior architecture.

Yaxley Hall is a Grade II* listed country house dating from around 1580, built for W. Yaxley. Its grounds lie on the clay plateau of Suffolk, on the upper slope of a shallow tributary valley south-east of Yaxley village centre. The grounds are private. Both the landscape setting and private use are therefore part of the picture of this historic estate.

The Folly Tower lies south-south-east of Yaxley Hall. It is a pavilion in the form of a small church tower within the private Yaxley Hall landscape. Its tower-like shape distinguishes it from the country house itself; the two features can therefore be understood as separate elements of the estate.

Walking routes, group activities and getting there

Yaxley has permitted walking routes where dogs are welcome. If you want to go out with your dog, this expressly stated condition is a helpful point to consider when planning.

Yaxley Community Centre hosts the Art Club, Garden Club, Needlework and Craft Group, as well as yoga and Pilates activities. The range spans creative and gardening groups as well as exercise activities. Please enquire locally about dates and possible participation.

Yaxley is just off the A140.

As a separate destination outside Yaxley, Thornham Walks offers around 12 miles of waymarked, permitted routes through woodland, parkland and riverside landscapes. It is therefore a separate option for planning a walk; these countryside routes are not in Yaxley itself.

Discover more destinations: Icklingham, West Row, Shotley, Debenham, Ilketshall Saint Margaret, Dalham, Hopton, Wangford

For the regional travel overview: Suffolk.