Building record MCC351 - Church of St Andrews, Greenstead, Colchester

Summary

12th? century or earlier church.

Location

Grid reference Centred TM 01926 24992 (21m by 15m)
Map sheet TM02SW
1848 Parish ST ANDREWS, Greenstead
County ESSEX
Non Parish Area COLCHESTER, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

Church of St Andrew, Greenstead. The earliest architectural component is ?12th century. However, the Church is recorded in 1066 and therefore could be Anglo-Saxon in origin.<1>

Survey by RCHME of St Andrews Church, Greenstead (1922). The walls are of mixed rubble and the west tower is of red brick; the roofs are covered with tiles and slates. The W. part of the N. wall of the Nave is perhaps of the 12th century. Late in the 16th century the W. Tower was added. The Chancel and the E. part of the nave were refaced but perhaps not entirely rebuilt late in the 18th century and are recovered with rough cast. The S. Chapel and Aisle and the N. Porch are modern. Architectural Description- The Chancel and Nave are structurally undivided. The E. wall is probably old up to the springing of the window-head, where there is a set-off; the E. window is of the 18th century. In the N. wall are three modern windows and further W. is the plastered N. doorway with plain jambs and a round head; the NW. angle has quoins partly of Roman brick and perhaps of the 12th century. The S. arcade is modern. The W. Tower (6ft square) is of late 16th century date and of red brick; it is of three stages with some diapering in black brick and a modern parapet. The plastered tower-arch is two centred and of two chamfered orders, the outer continuous and the inner resting on modern corbels. The 18th century W. window is set in an opening with moulded stone jambs of reused material. The second stage has in the N., S. and W. walls a window with a plain segmental head and a modern inserted mullion. The bell-chamber has in each wall a similar but larger window with two inserted mullions. The Roof of the nave is of trussed-rafter type and ceiled, but the old timbers are exposed under the eaves of the N. wall. (See RCHME Volume for fittings).<2>

DOE survey of Church of St Andrew. A small building, perhaps of C12 origin (west part of north wall of nave) but much rebuilt in the C18 and later. Late C16 red brick west tower.<3>

Nave and chancel Norman, structurally undivided, of mixed rubble, rendered. Chancel and nave E. end refaced in late C18. S. aisle of Kentish rag added by G. Sergeant, 1856-7, with repairs and other alterations following the 1884 earthquake by E.J. Dampier. Chancel reordered and S. aisle W. end screened off with upper room by Tim Venn, 1995-6.<6>

An oil painting of St Andrews Church, Greenstead, undated but shepherds dress in foreground suggests 18th century. Shows church viewed from south-east.<4>

The Church is marked on the Siege Map of 1648, within the internal area of Fort Whaley (MCC2241).<5>

Seven digital photographs of Church of St Andrew, Greenstead, taken August 2016.<7>

Sources/Archives (7)

  • <1> Monograph: Cooper, Janet (Ed). 1994. Vol. IX, The Borough of Colchester, A History of the County of Essex. Volume IX. p.388.
  • <2> Monograph: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1922. Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England): Essex, (North-East). Volume III. No 12.
  • <3> LIST: Department of the Environment. 1971. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Borough of Colchester (Essex). TM 0124 15/72N.
  • <4> Graphic material: Savage, J. W.. Unknown. Oil Painting of St Andrew's Church, Greenstead.
  • <5> Cartographic materials: Unknown. 1648. 1648 Siege Map.
  • <6> Monograph: Bettley, James and Pevsner, Nikolaus. 2007. The buildings of England: Essex. p.434.
  • <7> Photograph: Tipper, J.. 2016. Photographs of Church of St Andrew, Greenstead. Digital.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Events/Activities (3)

Record last edited

Jan 31 2017 9:25AM

Comments and Feedback

Do you have any more information about this record? Please feel free to comment with information and photographs, or ask any questions, using the "Disqus" tool below. Comments are moderated, and we aim to respond/publish as soon as possible.