Church of St Clare

About

The Church of St Clare, Bradfield is the Anglican parish church of Bradfield St Clare, in the district of West Suffolk, Suffolk. The original structure dates back to the 12th century, with modifications being made through the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. The building was restored in 1874. It is a Grade II* listed building.

The ejection of Paul Gosnold: In November 1643 several parishioners - Robert Bragg, Laurence Hunt, Thomas Kinge, William Rose and Thomas Worton - complained about the rector Paul Gosnold. They drew a list of seven articles providing details of how Gosnold had preached in a scandalous way. They claimed he preached that those who took up arms against the king would find that these arms would rot. On another occasion he compared parliament to a company of owls trying to oust the Princely Eagle whose sight was much quicker. He refused to publish the ordnances, but however published a declaration by King Charles I. They claimed he was a drunkard and gave further account of how he had denounced the parliamentarians, showed no concern about ministers being summoned to Westminster for expressing such hostile views. Further he had then been absent from the parish having...