Great Livermere
Our Church
We are part of the larger parish of Ingham, Ampton and Great and Little Livermere and we all worship together around the three churches. St Peter's's is a beautiful 13th century, grade 1 listed, thatched church which is open every day. The roof was rethatched in the 1980’s and the ridge was redone in 2018. Inside the church are wall paintings, a three decker pulpit and one of the finest organs in the area.
Great Livermere has two famous sons: William Sakings, Falconer to Charles I, Charles II, and James II, who is commemorated in the village sign and buried in the churchyard and Montague Rhodes James, son of a 19th century incumbent who went on to become the provost of Eton College and later King’s College Cambridge. He was an historian, antiquarian writer and biblical scholar, as well as the originator of the English ghost story and many of his stories were set in the village. There is a commemorative plaque to him inside the church.
There is a leaflet about the building available in the church as well as postcards and notelets available for sale.
The church is open daily in daylight hours.
Sunday Services take place fortnightly between Ingham and Great Livermere at 10am, with a monthly BCP Holy Communion at Ampton.
Common Worship Morning Prayer is said on a Friday morning in each of the churches by rotation and the one in Ampton is particularly well attended.
There is a monthly Sm@11 (Sunday morning at 11) service at Ingham, an all age service which is really popular with everyone. Messy Church is held four times a year in Ingham Church: a chance for families to enjoy creative worship together.
Our Parish
The parish of Ingham with Ampton and Great and Little Livermere is a united parish covering four villages with three parish churches, two of which are in regular use.
Ingham is the largest village with a population of approx. 400. The A134 Bury St Edmunds to Thetford road divides the village, with the pub, shop and church on one side and the majority of the housing on the other. Businesses in the village include a large farm and haulage business, a small business park and a number of self-employed people working from home.
Great Livermere has about 190 people, with a large farm and a game shooting business in the village. It also has a recently refurbished village hall which is well used and is a focus for village social activities.
Ampton has a population of about 70 and is an estate village with the owners living at Ampton Hall. Little Livermere is also part of the Ampton Estate and is a very disparate village with about 30 people living there. Little Livermere church is now in ruins.
In the whole parish, those who are employed mostly work outside the villages in Bury St Edmunds, Thetford or further afield.
Ingham church building is used both as place of worship and as a community space, the only one the village has and, in addition to some of the Church run activities outlined below, it also hosts a weekly “Cuppa ‘n Chat” to reach out to people feeling isolated.