View source for St Mary-at-the-Quay Church, Ipswich

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox church
| name = St Mary-at-the-Quay Church, Ipswich
| fullname =
| image = River Church, Key Street at night.jpg
| imagesize = 200
| imagealt = St Mary-at-the-Quay Church, Key Street at Night
| caption = St Mary-at-the-Quay Church, Key Street at Night
| pushpin map = United Kingdom Ipswich
| pushpin mapsize = 250
| pushpin label position = top
| map caption = Location in Suffolk
| location = [[Ipswich]], [[Suffolk]]
| country = England
| coordinates = {{coord|52.0529|1.1564|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}}
| osgraw = TM 166 442
| denomination = [[Anglican]]
| churchmanship =
| membership = [[Evangelical]]
| attendance =
| website = [http://riverchurchipswich.org River Church] [https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/visit/church-listing/st-mary-ipswich.html Churches Conservation Trust]
| former name =
| bull date =
| founded date =
| founder =
| dedication =
| dedicated date =
| consecrated date =
| cult =
| relics =
| events =
| past bishop =
| people =
| status =
| groundbreaking =
| completed date =
| construction cost =
| functional status = Anglican Church plant
| heritage designation = Grade II*
| designated date = 19 December 1951
| architect =
| architectural type = [[Church (building)|Church]]
| style = [[Perpendicular Gothic]]
| closed date =
| demolished date =
| capacity =
| length =
| width =
| width nave =
| height =
| seniorpastor = Amy Key and Matt Key
| diameter =
| other dimensions =
| floor count =
| floor area =
| spire quantity =
| spire height =
| materials = [[Flint]] with stone dressings
}}
'''St Mary-at-the-Quay Church''' is a former [[Anglican]] church in [[Ipswich]], [[Suffolk]], England. The medieval building is under the care of the [[Churches Conservation Trust]].<ref name=cct>{{Citation | url = https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/visit/church-listing/st-mary-ipswich.html | title = Church of St Mary-at-the-Quay, Ipswich, Suffolk | access-date = 9 December 2016| publisher = [[Churches Conservation Trust]]}}</ref> and since September 2021 it has been used by River Church to implement an approach to [[evangelicism]] developed by [[Holy Trinity Brompton]] as part of the network of [[HTB church plants]].
The church originally served the thriving industry around the docks area of the town and those that worked there. After closing for regular worship in the 1950s the church was transferred to the CCT in 1973  and underwent a major restoration programme completing in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Quay Place Opens to Public |url=https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/what-we-do/news/launch-of-quay-place-a-unique-heritage-and-wellbeing-centre-in-ipswich.html |access-date=2022-12-04 |website=www.visitchurches.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=St Mary-at-the-Quay, Ipswich to be transformed into Heritage Wellbeing Centre |url=https://www.visitchurches.org.uk/what-we-do/news/st-mary-at-the-quay--ipswich-to-be-transformed-int.html |access-date=2022-12-04 |website=www.visitchurches.org.uk}}</ref>
==Architecture and History==
The medieval church on Key Street, Ipswich was formerly known as The Key Church, and the Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea (''Stella Maris'').<ref name="sch">{{Citation |last=Knott |first=Simon |title=St Mary at Quay, Ipswich |url=http://www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/stmaryatquay.htm |year=2006 |publisher=Suffolk Churches |access-date=3 March 2011}}</ref>
The church is constructed in [[flint]] with stone dressings.<ref name="hg">{{NHLE|num=1037707|desc=Church of St Mary at the Quay, Ipswich|accessdate=10 July 2014|mode=cs2}}</ref>  Its plan includes a [[nave]] with a [[clerestory]], north and south [[aisle]]s, [[transept]]s, and a west tower.<ref name="hg" /><ref name="sch" />  The tower has diagonal [[buttress]]es decorated with [[flushwork]], and an [[battlement|embattled]] [[parapet]].  Its architectural style is [[Perpendicular Gothic|Perpendicular]].<ref name="hg" />
Inside the church, the nave has a double [[hammerbeam roof]], with carvings of the [[Apostles in the New Testament|apostles]], important figures in Ipswich history, and other designs.  In the church is a 15th-century octagonal [[baptismal font|font]].<ref name=cct/>  The font had been removed to a church at [[Brantham]], but has been returned.<ref name=sch/>  Also in the church are the tomb and [[monumental brass|brass]] of [[Henry Tooley]], who built the [[almshouse]]s nearby, and a copy of the Pownder brass.<ref name=cctproj/>  Thomas Pounder (or Pownder), like Henry Tooley, was an Ipswich merchant.  The original of the brass is in [[Ipswich Museum]].<ref name=sch/>
The current St Mary's building was built between about 1450 and 1550, on the site of an earlier church dating back to the 1200s, in the [[Ipswich Docks|dockland area]] of the town, the centre of the merchant community. It was one of twelve medieval churches in Ipswich, and one of three [[Sailor|mariners']] churches.<ref name="cctproj">{{Citation |title=St-Mary-at-the-Quay Church, Ipswich, Suffolk |date=16 October 2008 |url=http://www.visitchurches.org.uk/projects/st-mary-at-the-quay-church-ipswich-suffolk/ |publisher=[[Churches Conservation Trust]] |access-date=3 March 2011}}</ref>  At this time it was probably known as [[Our Lady, Star of the Sea|Stella Maris (Our Lady, Star of the Sea)]].<ref name="sch" />  During the 18th&nbsp;century the focus of economic activity moved away from the dockland area, and the size of the congregation declined.  Over the years, flooding of the church has caused structural problems and, in an attempt to prevent this, the [[Burial vault (tomb)|vaults]] were filled with concrete during the 19th&nbsp;century.  In 1940–42 during the Second World War, the church was damaged by bombs, and most of the stained glass was lost.<ref name="cctproj" />
==Renovation and community use==
After the war the church closed for worship.  In the 1990s repairs to it were organised by the [[Friends of Friendless Churches]], and it was then used as the headquarters of Ipswich's [[Boys' Brigade]].<ref name="cctproj" />  When they left the church, it closed again, and was [[vesting|vested]] in the Churches Conservation Trust in 1973.  By this time most of the furnishings and contents had been removed.  The Trust has organised structural repairs to the church, in particular to deal with the flooding, as the salt water was causing decay of the columns of the [[arcade (architecture)|arcades]].  During the 2000s the church was a venue for conceptual art exhibitions and performances.<ref name="cctproj" />  For a time it was home to an arts organisation known as Key Arts.<ref>{{Citation |title=Key Arts — the artist run space in Ipswich |url=http://www.keyarts.org/index.php?title=Main_Page |publisher=Key Arts |access-date=3 March 2011}}</ref>  In 2010 plans were made for the church to be converted into a mental health wellbeing centre, run by Suffolk [[Mind (charity)|Mind]], assisted by a grant from the [[Heritage Lottery Fund]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Beautiful Buildings and Healthy Minds — Plans Progress to Transform St Mary at the Quay, Ipswich |date=30 July 2010 |url=http://www.visitchurches.org.uk/news/hlf-fund-st-marys-ipswich/ |publisher=[[Churches Conservation Trust]] |access-date=3 March 2011}}</ref>
==River Church ==
[[File:THE SIX at River Church.jpg|left|thumb|THE SIX at River Church]]
River Church launched in 2021 and is led by Amy and Matt Key, who are both ordained in the [[Church of England]].<ref name="PG NRC">{{cite news |last1=Geater |first1=Paul |title=New River Church opens its doors on Ipswich Waterfront |url=https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/21903512.new-river-church-opens-doors-ipswich-waterfront/ |access-date=21 December 2022 |work=Ipswich Star |issue=27 September 2021 |publisher=Newsquest Media Group Ltd |date=2021 |language=en}}</ref> River Church aims to evangelise amongst students from the nearby [[University of Suffolk]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ipswich Church bringing new coffee shop to the Waterfront as it turns one |url=https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/23071193.ipswich-church-bringing-new-coffee-shop-waterfront-turns-one/ |access-date=2022-11-02 |website=Ipswich Star |language=en}}</ref> River Church runs regular [[Alpha course|Alpha]] courses which had been developed by clergy at Holy Trinity Brompton .These aim to be more accessible by offering free food, short talks, and live music.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ALPHA |url=https://riverchurchipswich.org/alpha |access-date=2022-11-02 |website=River Church |language=en-US}}</ref> They also serve refreshments during weekdays
<ref>{{Cite web |title=COFFEE |url=https://riverchurchipswich.org/coffee |access-date=2022-11-02 |website=River Church |language=en-US}}</ref>
==See also==
*[[List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in the East of England]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category|St Mary at the Quay, Ipswich}}
{{Authority control}}
{{John Speed's Ipswich}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:St Mary at the Quay Church, Ipswich}}
[[Category:Grade II* listed churches in Suffolk]]
[[Category:Church of England church buildings in Ipswich]]
[[Category:English Gothic architecture in Suffolk]]
[[Category:Churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust]]
[[Category:Former Church of England church buildings]]