Holy Trinity, Long Melford
At the top of Long Melford’s great green stands one of the finest parish churches in England, a long, glittering wall of glass and flint built by the clothiers of Suffolk at the end of the Middle Ages. Simon Jenkins gave it five stars, the only church in Suffolk to get them. Inside is a rare treasury of medieval glass, a chapel unlike any other, and the tombs of the families who paid for it all.
A clothier’s church
A church has stood here since before the Norman Conquest. The present building was rebuilt between 1467 and 1497, with the money of the wool and cloth trade. Its main benefactor was John Clopton of Kentwell Hall, a Lancastrian who was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1462 with the Earl of Oxford and, unlike his companions, lived to see the Tudors win at Bosworth. His name, and those of his friends, are carved in the parapets outside, asking for the prayers of those who pass.
The tower was struck by lightning in 1710 and rebuilt in brick; between 1898 and 1903 it was refaced in flint and stone to designs by G. F. Bodley.
The visitor's cheat sheet
| Where | Church Walk, Long Melford, Suffolk, CO10 9DL, at the top of the village green |
|---|---|
| Getting there | Sudbury station is about 3 miles away; buses from Sudbury; parking near the green |
| Opening hours | Daily from 10am: to 4pm Nov–Mar, 5pm Apr–Jun and Sep–Oct, 6pm Jul–Aug; Sundays from 12.30pm |
| Admission | Free; donations welcome |
| How long | About an hour |
| Best time | A sunny afternoon, when the light floods through the windows |
| Dress code | No formal code; respectful dress as in any working church |
| Tours | Church tours can be arranged in advance; toilets on site |
Hours and admission checked against the official site in October 2026. They change; the official site is always the last word.
Seventy-four windows. The church is lit by seventy-four tracery windows, and many still hold medieval glass: portraits of the Cloptons and their friends and relations, kneeling in prayer, which together make one of the finest collections in England.
What to see, in the order you meet it
The nave and the glass
The nave is long and full of light, with nine bays. In the north aisle windows, look for the fifteenth-century figures of the Clopton circle, among them the Duchess of Norfolk said to have inspired Tenniel’s Queen of Hearts, and a small roundel of three hares sharing three ears, an emblem of the Holy Trinity. Also in the north aisle is a carved alabaster of about 1350, the Adoration of the Magi, buried under the floor at the Reformation and found again in the eighteenth century.
The sanctuary
In the sanctuary is the alabaster tomb of Sir William Cordell, Speaker of the House of Commons and builder of Melford Hall.
The Clopton Chapel and Chantry
In the north-east corner, the Clopton Chapel holds the family’s tombs and brasses. Beyond it, the tiny Clopton Chantry has the tomb of John Clopton and, painted on scrolls round the roof, verses by the poet John Lydgate.
The Lady Chapel
Go outside and round to the east end. The Lady Chapel is a separate building joined to the church, with a central chapel surrounded by an arcaded walkway, like an ambulatory. From 1670 it was used as a school, and a multiplication table is still painted on the east wall.
Tickets and tours
Free, every day
There is no entry fee. The church opens daily from 10am, closing between 4pm and 6pm depending on the season; on Sundays it opens to visitors at 12.30pm. Opening depends on volunteer keyholders. Church tours can be arranged in advance.
The hotel link goes to Booking.com. This site earns nothing from it at present — it is here because it is the quickest way to check what is actually available.
Don't miss
- The medieval glass The Clopton circle at prayer.
- The three hares A tiny roundel in the north aisle.
- The Lady Chapel And its schoolroom multiplication table.
- The Clopton Chantry Lydgate’s verses round the roof.
- The alabaster The Adoration of the Magi, once hidden.
- The parapet inscriptions Prayers carved in stone outside.
Insider tips
Make a day of Long Melford. Melford Hall (National Trust) and Kentwell Hall, John Clopton’s house, are both at the edge of the village, and the long main street is full of antique shops and pubs. Lavenham is about four miles away. On Sundays, come in the afternoon, after the morning service.
Walk down the green from the church to see the Elizabethan hospital and the conduit, and look back for the best view of the church above the village.
Common questions
Is Long Melford church free to visit?
Yes. There is no entry fee; donations are welcome and help keep the church open.
When is the church open?
Every day from 10am: until 4pm from November to March, 5pm in April to June and in September and October, and 6pm in July and August. On Sundays visiting starts at 12.30pm, after the morning service. Opening depends on volunteer keyholders, and the church may be closed for weddings and funerals.
Is the Queen of Hearts in the glass?
So the story goes. One of the medieval glass portraits, of Elizabeth Talbot, Duchess of Norfolk, is said to have inspired John Tenniel’s drawing of the Queen of Hearts in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Who paid for the church?
Mainly John Clopton of Kentwell Hall, a rich clothier who survived imprisonment in the Tower during the Wars of the Roses. The names of Clopton and his friends are carved in the parapets and flushwork outside, asking for prayers.
How do you get to Long Melford?
Long Melford is about three miles north of Sudbury, which has the nearest station, on the branch line from Marks Tey. Buses run from Sudbury. The church stands at the top of the long village green.
Where to stay and eat nearby
Long Melford has old inns and restaurants along its main street, and Lavenham and Sudbury are close.
More English churches
- Lavenham Church — the other great Suffolk wool church, four miles away
- Blythburgh Church — the Cathedral of the Marshes
- St Edmundsbury Cathedral — Suffolk’s cathedral
See all the cathedrals and churches worth visiting in England →