Read more about the Bardwell Church building and flower festival display here and the 2007 Flower Festival here.

St Peter and St Paul is the Bardwell Parish Church. It was Grade I listed in 1955. This is the Listing description.

The Tower

C15 west tower: rubble flint, on a checkerwork base of stone and knapped flint. 4 ashlar-faced buttresses, 2 diagonal. External stair turret on the south side. The string-courses differ on each face: 4 on north, 3 on south, 5 on west. One 2-light window with cusped traceried head over west doorway, and similar windows on all 4 faces of the top stage. Clock on the south face. Small lead-covered spire. 6 bells.

The Porch

Early C15 south porch in knapped flint on a chequerwork base. Diagonal buttresses: battlements with panels of flushwork. South face has flushwork panels, and 3 canopied niches with mid-C19 statues. In the spandrels of the arch over the doorway are the arms of Sir William de Bardewell (d.1434) and his wife. 2 2-light windows with cusped traceried heads. The open timber roof, restored as a memorial in 1852, has miniature hammer-beams with shields. Early C19 gault bricks on floor.

The Nave

Nave in random flint, with remains of external stucco. Battlemented slate roof. Range of 5 tall 2-light C14 windows with reticulated tracery. Fine single hammer-beam roof in 12 short bays: the arched braces to the hammers alternately long and short to fit over the windows. A carved pendant hangs from the apex of each truss. Extensive remains of painting: trailing floral designs, diagonal stripes, and simulated tracery in the spandrels of the arched braces. Angel figures remain on only 4 hammer-beams, one carrying an open book with the date 1421. On north and south walls, traces of wall-paintings uncovered during restoration in 1850's (see Procs. Suff. Inst. Arch. Vol.II, for detailed, illustrated account). Mid C19 poppy-head benches: low Jacobean panelling along walls. Plain octagonal C19 font: older font lying on floor nearby. War memorial in blocked north doorway: arms of George II above. On north wall, memorial to Bardwell men killed in Crimean War. Standing in north- east corner, 4 finely traceried panels from C15 rood screen. The two windows at the north-east end have medieval stained glass, including a portrait figure of Sir William de Berdewell. Mid C19 timber pulpit. Narrow chancel arch, with a squint on each side. In south east corner, a piscina, and door to rood stair, with opening above.

Chancel

Chancel extensively restored in 1850's. Faced in kidney flints: knapped flint and ashlar to buttresses. 3-light memorial east window, 1863: stained glass by O'Connor. Archbraced roof: high collars, capitals with winged angels carrying a scroll, crown, musical instrument, etc. Whitewashed stone reredos in Victorian Early English style. Various memorials: on north wall to members of the Crofts and Reade families: on south wall, to Thomas Read, 1658, and a large monument to John Read and his wife, with their kneeling figures flanked by those of their 7 children, 1651/2.