Church of St Michael, Braintree (EHER 28095)

The core of the present church is 13th century church with fragments of earlier fabric incorporating Roman brick and tile. In about 1240 it was entirely rebuilt and was subsequently enlarged and extended in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. It was heavily restored by J L Pearson in 1855-1867 and a further addition was made in 1886. It consists of a chancel with south chapel, a north transeptal chapel and north-east vestry, a nave with north and south aisles extending to flank the west tower, and north and south porches. Roman coin, pottery, roof and flue tiles have been found in the churchyard which may indicate a possible villa site.

October 1951. Grade II* listed. A 13th century flint and rubble Church built in around 1240. The west tower is the best part remaining of that period. The church was added to and altered in the 15th and 16th centuries and was restored by J.N. Pearson in 1856. The north and south chapels have good 16th century roofs. <1> See photos <2> <3>. The church walls are composed of flint-rubble, mixed with Roman bricks and pudding-stone. The dressings are clunch and Bath stone. The roofs are covered with tiles and slates except the spire which is shingled. The Roman brick in the chancel is taken by the RCHM to indicate that it, with the nave, were built in the 12th century but they were almost completely rebuilt in in around 1240- the north and south aisles and the west tower were then added. The north east vestry was built late in the 14th century and, in around 1400, the north chapel was inserted between the vestry and the north aisle. The south aisle was widened and lengthened westwards in the 15th century. In around 1530 the south chapel was added, the north chapel probably enlarged and re-roofed, the north aisle widened and an upper floor put into the north-east vestry. "The 16th century roofs of the north and south chapels are noteworthy". Features and fittings include: remains of windows of the 12th or 13th centuries, 15th century (resused), early 16th century, uncertain date; doorways of the 14th century (recut) and early 16th century; the north east vestry roof has an early 15th century moulded wall plate, the southern half of the north chancel roof is 16th century (moulded and carved timbers), the south chapel roof is 16th century (moulded, carved, initialled); a late 15th century door; piscina of around 1530; a recess of around 1530; the upper storey of the north east vestry has masonry fragments, including the circular basin from a piscina, a circular stoup, moulded stones and also roof timbers and a carved finial of 14th century date. <4> The church was much restored in the 19th century when the north aisle and north chapel were largely rebuilt and extended. The north west vestry and the north and south porches were added at this time. The west tower has limestone quoins alternating with 17th century brick. The church contains brasses dated to 1627 (inscription plate), 1589, 1670. There are 17th century monuments and the plate includes two cups of 1616. The north chapel has a parchment roll with the names of plague victims, dated 1684. <4> The tower and nave date to 1199, according to the EHER, enlarged in 1522 and 1856. Roman brick and tile in the church. <5> 'Large, fully aisled church mainly of 15th and 16th century, drastically restored 1864-1866 and now of little interest, apart from the 13th century tower (partly restored) and the timber roofs'. The church's site is of archaeological interest - possibly marking the nucleus of an earlier settlement and may even be on the site of one of the cemeteries of the small Roman town at Braintree. Graded CIc by Rodwell. Drastically restored 1864-1866, now of little interest. <6> Roman brick in the church. Enlarged in 1856. <6> <7> 'A disappointing church except for the 13th century west tower with tall shingled broach spire. The exterior otherwise is amost entirely renewed or new (north aisle)- of 1864-1866. The interior is decidedly spacious'. The nave has 13th century arcades with circular and octagonal piers alternating along and across. The south chapel has an early 16th century pier. North and south chapels have good early 16th century roofs. <8> Apart from the 13th century west tower the exterior is almost entirely renewed or new (north aisle) - of 1864-1866. <8> The church may predate the founding of the new town in 1199, from its anomalous situation. The RCHM suggestion of a basic 12th century nave and chancel rebuilt in around 1240, with additions (see above) ties in with this 'for a relatively small church, much extended soon after the establishment of the town, is exactly what one would expect in those circumstances'. RCHM interpretation 'seems broadly correct' and that of Chancellor who dated the oldest work to around 1272-1307 'hardly seems tenable'. <9> <10> <11> J.E. Cunnington illustrated medieval floor tiles from St Michael's Church. The most likely sources of these are Danbury and Penn (Bucks). <9> <12> Four items of moulded stone are kept in the muniment room over the vestry on the north side of the chancel. The stones are medieval and looked like Caen. Two were fragmentary for it to be possible to say much about them. One is hollowed out and resembles a stoup; this may be a secondary use. The largest stone is chamfered and may be from a door reveal. It seems most probable that these stones come from St Michael's Church. There is nothing about them suggestive of the lancet windows photographed in the garden of Blandford House and apparently from the chapel on Chapel Hill. <13> See also <14>. Site Assessment: 'The 16th century roofs of the N and S chapels are noteworthy'. The church has been 'much restored and altered'. <4> 'The local authority has assumed control of the churchyard and the 1971 quinquennial survey reports a consequent loss of character. It is in fact probably the worst disaster area in the Archdeaconry - devastation has been total. The ground around the building is high and has been cut down on the north, where the sunken paths are revetted with tombstones (much broken and decayed). Other headstones have been moved to the boundaries. In all, a text book example of what not to do'. The site may mark the nucleus of earlier settlement and may be on the site of a Roman cemetery. The local authority has assumed control of the churchyard and the 1971 quinquennial survey reports a consequent loss of character. It is in fact probably the worst disaster area in the Archdeaconry-devastation has been total. The ground around the building is high and has been cut down on the north, where the sunken paths are revetted with tombstones (much broken and decayed). Other headstones have been removed to the boundaries - in all a text book example of what not to do. <6> NRHE data transfer: St Michael's Church (C of E) [NAT]. <15> March 1976. Field survey. There is a possible initial building date for the nave and chancel the Church of St Michael the Archangel sometime in the 12th century. In about 1240, however, both elements were almost entirely rebuilt when north and south aisles and a west tower were added. A north-east vestry was added in the late 14th century and later a north chapel was inserted between the vestry and the north aisle. The 15th century saw the south aisle lengthened and extended to the west and in about 1530 a south aisle chapel was added while the north chapel was enlarged and re-roofed, the north aisle widened and an upper floor was inserted in the north-east vestry (<4>). By the middle of the 19th century, it was in a poor state of repair and its interior (<16>), with its galleries and three-tiered pulpit, was at odds with the doctrine of the ecclesiologists. Pearson was engaged to restore and remodel the church by the Reverend J D Browne and undertook work there from 1855-67 and much of the earlier fabric was replaced as part of this work. The builder was Parmenter and Son of Bocking (<17> <18>). In 1886 the north chancel chapel was extended. The extent and nature of Pearson’s restoration is known from the contents of an application submitted to the Incorporated Church Building Society (ICBS) in April 1856 requesting financial aid with the restoration of the church (9b). Pearson removed a two-storey school room at the west end of the south aisle, steps leading up to galleries and a pulpit in the centre of the chancel arch supported by irons fixed to the seats on either side as well as box pews. Pearson’s replacement work at Braintree is known from a plan in the ICBS file which is signed by Pearson, dated 1866, and shows the work as executed. It shows a three-bay nave with broad aisles to the north and south with central north and south porches and a central west tower. There is a chancel, with choir and sanctuary, plus aisles, and a vestry in the north-east corner. The south nave aisle extends westwards to flank the tower on its south side but the north aisle stops at the front of the tower. A straight intramural stair is shown on the south side of the tower and there is a spiral stair in the angle between the south nave aisle and the south chancel aisle. The plan shows that Pearson replaced the west tower window and the external entrance to the tower stair, the single west and four south windows of the south aisle, all with four-light mullioned windows, and the front and sides of the south porch. The north aisle and porch are shown to be entirely Pearson’s work although a stub of the former west wall, projecting northwards from the corner of the tower, appears to have been retained. The north aisle is depicted with three north windows and one west window, all of four lights with mullions; the porch is windowless. Elsewhere, a new chancel arch and east window, of five lights, are shown along with improvements to the vestry including the insertion of a corner fireplace, a three-light window and external entrance in the north wall. The church is built of random flint and stone rubble and possibly some reused Roman brick and pudding stone, with dressings of clunch and Bath stone. There is red-brick banding and diaper work and the roofs are covered with red clay tiles and slates. The south chancel aisle windows, which predate Pearson, are Perpendicular in style while Pearson’s windows are in contrasting Geometric Decorated style (<4> <19> <20>). Early brick and tile is visible in much of the fabric of the earlier parts of the church, particularly the tower and chancel. <21> See also <22> <23>.