Monument record MCC8793 - St Edmunds Church, East Mersea

Summary

Parish Church of St Edmunds, also referred to as the Parish Church of St Edmund King and Martyr. The earliest masonry dates from the C12-C13 but much of the structure is C14-C16.

Location

Grid reference Centred TM 0509 1418 (35m by 18m)
Map sheet TM01SE
County ESSEX
Civil Parish EAST MERSEA, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Map

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

Earliest masonry dates from the C12-C13 but much of the structure is C14- C16. Some of the early painted decoration remains but externally much of the stonework is weathered. Features and fittings: late C15-early C16 west tower C14 and C15 windows; C15 doorways; chancel roof has old wall plates; roof of nave has a C15 wall plate; one bell is early C15; C16 door in north doorway south door has band of C15 panelling at bottom; C16 door in doorway to turret staircase in tower; C15 font with carving (photo in RCHM); two C15 niches C15 piscina in chancel; C15 sedile in chancel; two C15 stoups; probably C15 plain glazed tiles in sills of south windows of chancel and stoup, C14 and C15 worked stones in north chapel.<1> There is a little flushwork at the base of the tower. Font, octagonal, C15, has uncommonly pretty blank arches.<2> Nave and chancel may be part Norman, though the details are later and in keeping with the C15 north aisle, chapel and west tower. The first mention of an incumbent is in the C12 but the dedication could be associated with a pre-conquest foundation. Graded CIIb by Rodwell.<3> Tower is C14 according to DOE.<4>

Site Assessment: Some of the early painted decoration remains but externally much of the stonework is weathered.<1> Flint flushwork on the tower and nave parapet has mainly gone. Walls are quasi-rendered, little of the historic fabric is visible. Dampness is a problem - the external ground level is very high all round. There is a shingle-filled trench, recent in date, along the south side of the nave and along the aisle; an old brick-lined open drain on the south side of the chancel; and a deep cement-lined gutter elsewhere. The church is still damp inside, parts of the flooring are decayed, and the chancel arch is seriously cracked. Some of the external stone dressings are in a poor state.

See digital photographs taken July 2016 during site visit.

Sources/Archives (5)

  • <1> DESC TEXT: RCHME. 1922. An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Essex - Volume 3. Vol 3, pp.93-94.
  • <2> Monograph: Bettley, James and Pevsner, Nikolaus. 2007. The buildings of England: Essex. p.338.
  • <3> Monograph: Rodwell, Warwick J with Rodwell, KA. 1977. Historic Churches - A Wasting Asset. p113.
  • <4> DESC TEXT: Department of the Environment. 1982. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Colchester Rural. pp119-120.
  • <5> Photograph: Tipper, J.. 2016. Photographs of Church of St Edmund, East Mersea. Digital.

Finds (6)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

Jan 4 2017 3:28PM

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