Our History:

The Baptist churches in the villages of Sudbourne and Tunstall started out completely independent lives, but were brought together as a result of the 2nd World War.

Tunstall:

In 1803 the Church at Grundisburgh was being greatly blessed, and were setting up cottages to be used for preaching all over the region. They secured a cottage in Tunstall on the same site as the chapel stands today, to use as a “Meeting House” and appointed Mr Reynolds who was a ”Shoe Maker” to look after the work.

The church at Tunstall was then officially planted in 1805 from those in the area who had joined the church. The membership continued to grow so in 1808 the existing building was pulled down and another built, which was nearly twice as large as the first. Further additions included adding a baptisty, a gallery, purchasing burial ground, a manse first at the common then in the village itself, memorial tablets for both World Wars, together with continued enlargements and modernisations throughout the years, the last of which was completed in 2007.

Sudbourne: 

The first reference to Baptists meeting in the village of Sudbourne was on May 30th 1860 where they met in the old village workhouse that itself hadn't been used since the early part of the 19th century. As the congregation began to grow the workhouse room became to small to meet in, so the owner of the village wheelwrights and blacksmiths shop was approached to ask permission to meet there. This he agreed to, so every Saturday a hardy band of volunteers met to sweep the floors and arrange the chairs for the Sunday service. Despite their best efforts these premises were fairly bleak, dirty, draughty, poorly lit and littered with straw.

So the members decided to try and secure a permanent building, and Mr William Large who was acting as pastor but also had wheelwrights and building businesses tried to find a suitable site. This he did in a field in what is now School Lane and it is thought they converted the original cottage into what is now the present building. On the completion of the building works in 1863 William Large stayed on to serve as the pastor for a further 36 years.

Further amendments have been made over the years with a gallery, baptistry, porch and a school room which itself was rebuilt in 1986. Major interior redecoration and modernisation works were recently carried out in 2007.

Together as Sudbourne & Tunstall:

In 1942 the village and countryside around Sudbourne were closed and taken over by the army for tank and officer training, so the Sudbourne pastor and members were invited to attend the Tunstall church. 

When the war ended and the village of Sudbourne was reopened in 1948, the pastor and members decided to attend services at both the churches. The normal morning and afternoon services at Tunstall were supplemented with an evening service at Sudbourne.

Today:

Thus the twin church fellowship began and through close work and unity over the years we operate today as one church membership, making use of the two buildings in their two locations. Both buildings have recently completed major redecoration and modernisation works leaving them looking and feeling modern and comfortable, complete with fully operational kitchens, PA systems with  hearing loops, recording facilities, digital projector and electric pianos.