Monument record MCC7369 - St Stephen's Church, Great Wigborough

Summary

Nave C14, chancel C14 rebuilt and west tower C15 rebuilt. Badly damaged in the 1884 earthquate and extensively rebuilt in the late C19.

Location

Grid reference Centred TL 9681 1563 (64m by 61m)
Map sheet TL91NE
County ESSEX
Civil Parish GREAT AND LITTLE WIGBOROUGH, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Map

Type and Period (4)

Full Description

Nave C14, chancel C14 rebuilt and west tower C15 rebuilt. The church was extensively rebuilt in 1885 following damage in the previous year. There is a decorated C12 stone reused in the south doorway.<1> Walls of mixed rubble and septaria with dressings of limestone. The chancel is modern except for some reused material of the C14 in the north-east and south-east windows. The windows of the nave are modern. Late C14 north doorway. Late C14 rood loft staircase and mid C15 south doorway. The west tower is almost entirely rebuilt but incorporates much of the late C15 material. The south porch was rebuilt in 1903 but incorporates late C15 material. Likewise the roof of the nave is modern but contains some C15 or early C16 timbers including a moulded principal and moulded and carved wall plates. The fittings include a C15 bell, C15 door in the tower of overlapping battens with strap hinges and octagonal C15 font. There are various worked stones of the C14 and C15 in the churchyard south of the tower.<2> A C14 and C15 church extensively restored after the earthquake of 1884. Late C14 rood loft stair; lower doorway with hollow chamfered jambs and two centred head, upper doorway has round head. Windows in the north wall extensively restored. Mid C15 south doorway.<3>

Fittings include a C17 bell, three C17 floor slabs in the chancel, and plate includes a cup probably of late C16 date <2> Nave roof is late C19 hammerbeam incorporating C15 moulded and carved wall plates.<3>

Badly damaged in the 1884 earthquake. W. tower rebuilt by J. Clarke in 1885-6 and the chancel and nave by F.W.S. Bowles in 1889-93. The s. door and porch were also rebuilt in 1903. The s. vestry was rebuilt by E. Geldart in 1894.<4>

Two digital photographs taken on site visit in July 2016.<5>

Sources/Archives (5)

  • <1> Monograph: Rodwell, Warwick J with Rodwell, KA. 1977. Historic Churches - A Wasting Asset. pp.133-4.
  • <2> DESC TEXT: RCHME. 1922. An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Essex - Volume 3. Vol 3, pp.133-134.
  • <3> DESC TEXT: Department of the Environment. 1982. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Colchester Rural. p.173.
  • <4> Monograph: Bettley, James and Pevsner, Nikolaus. 2007. The buildings of England: Essex. p.432.
  • <5> Photograph: Tipper, J.. 2016. Photographs of St Stephen's Church, Great Wigborough. Digital.

Finds (5)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

Sep 8 2016 1:07PM

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