Monument record MCC7559 - St Marys Church, West Bergholt

Summary

The church was restored in the C18 when the west gallery was built.

Location

Grid reference Centred TL 9530 2809 (98m by 53m)
Map sheet TL92NE
Civil Parish WEST BERGHOLT, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Map

Type and Period (3)

Full Description

"There is nothing of interest here apart from, perhaps, the timber west gallery of the C18".<1> The church was restored in the C18 when the west gallery was built (note that Bettley and Pevsner reocrd this as early C19). C18 window in the east end of the chancel set in the blocking of a C14 opening. The north wall of the nave has three C18 windows. Fittings include a C16 chest, C17 and C18 floor slabs, an early C17 lecturn and C17 panelling on the east wall of the chancel and west wall of the nave.<2>

Investigation of the church in 1978 - a series of small trenches combined with a detailed architectural examination. Much renovation has taken place since the C15 including the reconstruction of the porch, alteration of many windows and strengthening of the buttresses. Internally a new gallery was inserted and two dormer windows placed above the arcade. Finds include brick of c.1450-1650, some sherds of pottery and iron nails.<3>
Photographic record in Essex HER.<4>-<8> Other ref.<9><10> Finds in Colchester Museum.<11>

Site Assessment (Rodwell & Rodwell 1977) = The graveyard is important for its table tombs, C18 headstones and the earthwork which forms its boundary; "all these must be preserved intact".<1> The tower was recently reclad and a Victorian cement rendering removed in 1978.<3>

Four digital photographs taken in August 2016.<12>

Sources/Archives (12)

  • <1> Monograph: Rodwell, Warwick J with Rodwell, KA. 1977. Historic Churches: a wasting asset. p.97.
  • <2> DESC TEXT: RCHME. 1922. An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Essex - Volume 3. Vol 3, pp.227-228.
  • <3> EXCAV REPORT: Turner, R. 1985. Excavations at St Marys Church, West Bergholt, Essex 1978: archive report. site archive.
  • <4> Photograph: Turner, R. unknown. SMR.
  • <5> Photograph: Hedges, John D. 1977. TL92-031. 7 frames.
  • <6> Photograph: Anderson, T. 1977. Woodford Green 504.5985. 31 frames.
  • <7> Photograph: Anderson, T. 1978. TL92-031. 92 frames, colour.
  • <8> Photograph: unknown. 1978. West Bergholt - a photographic record. 139 frames.
  • <9> EXCAV REPORT: Turner, R. 1984. Four church excavations in Essex. No 4, pp.43-63.
  • <10> Monograph: Bettley, James and Pevsner, Nikolaus. 2007. The buildings of England: Essex. p.821.
  • <11> Artifact: Colchester Museum. unknown. ARTEFACT Col Mus.
  • <12> Photograph: Tipper, J.. 2016. Photographs of St Mary's Church, West Bergholt. Digital.

Finds (7)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (6)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Record last edited

Sep 15 2016 12:05PM

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