"St Faiths Church in Bacton was containing a significant item important to British history with out even knowing for hundreds of years, Queen Elizabeth I’s only surviving dress.

The dress was used as an alter cloth before being discovered.

It’s believed that the dress was given to Blanche Parry, the queen’s Chief Gentlewoman of the Bedchamber. Elizabeth was known to have gifted clothing to her.

This church was Blanche’s families church, which most likely explains why it was found there. Since the church was dark inside, the colours on the dress have been preserved with minimal fading.

The silver chamblet silk fabric, embroidered with gold and silver thread and cut in a manner suggesting it once constituted two sections of a skirt, bodice and sleeves, closely resembles the gown donned by Elizabeth in the so-called “Rainbow Portrait.” Painted by artist Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger around 1600."