Church of St Michael

The Church of St Michael and All Angels stands in Cookley, Suffolk, a quiet village in the east of England. Built mainly in the 12th century, its tower rises from medieval foundations while the nave and chancel show later changes. The church was given Grade I status in 1966 for its historic importance. A Victorian restoration in 1894 refreshed the building without losing its older features. Today it belongs to a group of parishes under the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. The church is worth visiting for its surviving medieval details and later additions. The 15th-century rood screen, rescued from a chicken shed in Huntingfield, now stands inside the church. A fine East Anglian font of the same period shows carved angels and lions around its bowl. Three bells hang in the tower, two cast in 1893 and one from 1720. The tower also belongs to the Suffolk Guild of Ringers, linking it to local bell-ringing traditions. Inside, the rood screen bolted to the south side of the chancel arch draws the eye. The font at the west end of the nave carries its medieval carvings. The tower’s bells still call ringers to practise. The church sits in a peaceful Suffolk village, its stonework and fittings showing centuries of craftsmanship.