Church of St Botolph, Hadstock (EHER 36058)

Reputed site of a 7th century minster. The church incorporates Roman brick. Important late Anglo-Saxon church built about 1025-50 with later additions (see plans). It probably had a central tower which was pulled or fell down about 1200 and there is Roman brick in the tower walls. Belonging to Ely (from the 9th century) whose monks believed St Botolph was buried here. It is suggested that it is the minster built by King Cnut in 1020 to commemorate his victory in 1016 at Assandun (Ashdon beside Hadstock), but others identify it as Ashingdon (see TQ 89 SE 1), and some suggest the minister was Hockley near-by. The present cruciform church is 11th, 13th and 14 century with a 15th century West tower on a Saxon base. Excavations have demonstrated that the Saxon church was substantial and clearly of minster status.

This monument record was created after merging EHER 4810, 4811, 4812, and 36058. The walls of the present nave and north transept are basically of late Anglo-Saxon date and there is evidence to suggest that this was the minster church built by Canute after the battle of Assandun in 1016. It was built on the remains of an earlier Anglo Saxon church, possibly belonging to the monastery founded by Abbot Botolph in the year 654. The nave has four original 11th century double-splayed windows intact (originally there were six). The north door and its stone surround with "honeysuckle" carved ornamentation on the arch and imposts is of the early 11th century but was rebuilt in its present position later in the 11th century. The west door is also probably of similar date. The south doorway was inserted in around 1200 (now blocked). The walls are flint rubble. The cruciform church-nave and north transept remain and were built in the 2nd quarter of the 11th century. The church probably had a central tower, pulled down at an uncertain date or fell around 1200 when the arch opening into the north transept was rebuilt. The walls of the north transept, except the north wall, were rebuilt later also. The east bay of the nave was at a different angle from the three western bays - further evidence for a former tower. The south wall has bands of slightly varied rubble in a rough herringbone The south transept was rebuilt in the late 14th century and in the 15th century the west tower and north porch were added. The chancel was rebuilt in 1884 by William Butterfield. The fittings include a font with a 14th century bowl on a stem and base which is probably of Saxon origin. The font cover is 17th to 18th century. There is a rare 14th or 15th century oak lectern with cable moulding. The screen with carving of a fox and geese on one panel is 15th century. There are some 15th to 16th century oak benches (restored in the 19th century). Graded for its architectural and historical value. The chancel was rebuilt in 1864, on old foundations it is said. 2 bells are dated 1700, the font cover is 17th or early 18th century. A floor slab is of 1683, there is early 17th century panelling in the tower. The plate includes 16th century items. By the late 18th century the medieval chancel was in ruins. According to a letter from the Bishop of London to the incumbent in 1790 it had been carted away by the parishioners for rubble. A small polygonal-apsed chancel was built but was not appropriate to the rest of the church. In the 19th century there was a 'drastic' restoration. The present chancel, vestry and organ chamber were built in 1884 to a design by William Butterfield, executed "on a scale and in a style which could hardly be less sympathetic to the remainder of the structure". <1> <2> Site Assessment: Prior to archaeological excavation restoration had already begun, causing several losses in the churchyard. Archaeology and architecture have been lost owing to other works such as the construction of a drainage trench around much of the building. The building is very important in the study of late Saxon architecture, as the vigorous debate shows. 1974. Excavation. Excavations in 1974 in advance of reflooring uncovered much of the floor of the church, many previous floors being excavated where they survived. From excavation and structural investigation it is apparent that the building has had a more complex history than was previously thought. There had already been much debate over the possible identification of Hadstock with the 7th century monastery founded by St Botolph and the minster built by Cnut to celebrate his victory at Assandun in 1016. This debate has been compounded as a result of Rodwell's 1974 campaign. Rodwell envisaged several periods of building at lengthy intervals, starting in the middle Saxon period with a large stone, cruciform building, subsequently embellished in the late Saxon period with the architectural features already mentioned and other additions, such as a stone tower. Of the few graves discovered, one seemed to have been shallow and to have had a stone coffin removed from it. This was put forward as being the possible grave of St Botolph himself. Other finds in the excavation included 135 post holes, mostly for scaffolding, six furnace pits including two lead melting hearths, a bell foundry, and two possible casting pits. <3> - <7> 1977. Church graded A1b by Rodwell. <8> 1983. Fernie has challenged Rodwell's interpretation, particularly concerning the arch responds and Rodwell's spreading out of the phases. He would prefer to see all the late Saxon or Saxo-Norman phases as post conquest, possibly beginning in the immediate post-conquest years even, in the 1060s. In a footnote in this source, Fernie states that, in a letter, Rodwell had informed him that "recent evidence, including 14th century dating, makes it clear that the first church was post-Danish". <9> 1986. Building survey. The roof of the nave was recorded in some detail in 1986. No timberwork associated with the original roof appeared to survive. <10> - <12> 1992. Watching brief. Excavations of a soakaway uncovered a typical graveyard soil. Work uncovered part of the foundations of the original church and later modifications. No signs of the apse (as Rodwell claims) were seen. A possible 19th century well was discovered near the south wall of the nave. <13> 1999. Watching brief. Drainage trenches were dug from the east side of the parish hall northwards round the building and then down the east side of the path that runs through the churchyard. Near the hall, topsoil was 450mm deep and overlain by yellow-brown chalky clay (?natural). North of this beneath the topsoil was a single layer of dark brown clay loam which may represent a fill. Possible burnt material occurred further north and a late medieval rim was recovered form spoil. A deposit of dark brown clay loam with chalk, coal, charcoal and peg tile may represent a dumped layer to form a platform for the church hall. No grave cuts were observed and no bone recovered. Little of significance was noted beyond a foundation for the hall and another representing the southward continuation of the churchyard boundary; a possible feature and an area of burnt clay east of the hall; building debris associated with the construction of the hall or possibly the chancel of the church; and two earlier surfaces of the track running through the churchyard. Three sherds of late medieval pottery were recovered from the spoil. In the land immediately south of the church was stripped for a churchyard extension but no artefacts other than 19th or 20th century were noted. <14> 2000. Aerial photography. <15> 2004. Laboratory analysis. A report to the Society of Antiquaries following a research grant for the structural, biomolecule and dendrochronological analysis of the north door has proved that Hadstock has the oldest known working door in the country, is constructed of superb carpentry and has intriguing evidence of original ironwork. The tree from which it is made was at the earliest felled in 1034. The door is therefore likely to be contemporary with the surround which is dated stylistically to 1060-80.Biomolecule analysis confirmed that the 'Daneskin' was in fact cow hide. <16> 2004. Geophysical survey. Resistivity survey in Summer 2004 along the north, east, and part of the south faces of the church. In grid 5 the church was found to extend approximately 2.5m further east. In grids 2 and 3 a diagonal feature which may have resulted from an old footpath to a former doorway. <17> 2007. Building report. Repairs to the single phase tower, Victorian vestry chimney and to the northern and eastern walls of the north transept were carried out in 2007 and archaeologically recorded. Excavations in 1974 (Rodwell) demonstrated that there were three pre-1100 structural phases. Based on radiocarbon and archaeological data the first period is post 9th century, while the third period based on style and dendro dates to the 1060s.The former means that any link with St Botolph may be discounted. On the other hand the evidence for identifying the church with Cnut's Minster of 1020 remains strong, especially in light of increasing evidence regarding the Battle of Assundun at nearby Ashdon. The earliest fabric of the north transept walls together with the blocked transept north door should belong to the first period (post 9th century). In the second period the junction of the nave/crossing wall is lost with the insertion of a timber tower. In period 3 (1060s) the tower was replaced in stone and an apse may have been added to the east side of the transept. The central tower collapsed in the early 13th century, the internal arch of the transept was rebuilt and the transept north door remodelled. Later this door was blocked and the eastern apse removed. This all happened just before the mid-late 14th century refenestration. <18> 2015. Geophysical survey. Geophysical Survey undertaken of St Botolph's Churchyard in 2015. Could not confirm pathway though some other pathways were attained. <19> 2017. Building survey and watching brief. Pre-Construct Archaeology Limited was commissioned to undertake a programme of historic building recording and archaeological monitoring during the removal of plaster from the lower walls of the nave and transept and excavation of French drains at St Botolph's Church, Hadstock, Essex. This revealed some hitherto unknown evidence relating to the former transept north doorway and uncovered an isolated medieval wall painting within the nave, but otherwise reidentifies those discoveries made by Warwick Rodwell during his investigations carried out in 1974. <20> Other evidence argues strongly for the placing of St Botolph's monastery at Iken in Suffolk. <21> <22> See also: <24> - <26> NRHE data transfer: (TL 55884474) St Botolph's Church. <27> Important late Anglo-Saxon church built about 1025-50 with later additions (see plans). It probably had a central tower which was pulled or fell down about 1200 and there is Roman brick in the tower walls. Belonging to Ely (from the 9th century) whose monks believed St Botolph was buried here. It is suggested that it is the minster built by King Cnut in 1020 to commemorate his victory in 1016 at Assandun (Ashdon beside Hadstock), but others identify it as Ashingdon (see TQ 89 SE 1), and some suggest the minister was Hockley near-by. <28> Excavations within the church in 1974 revealed three periods of Anglo-Saxon work, the earliest of which probably belongs to the pre-Danish era and comprised a large five celled cruciform church. Among graves found was one set in the centre of the Anglo-Saxon south porticus against the east wall, the body was probably embalmed and can hardly have been other than an eminent religious figure of the Anglo-Saxon period, possibly Abbott Botolph. This new evidence greatly strengthens the case for Hadstock being the site of the monastery founded in the late 7th century by St Botolph at Icanho. (For alternative siting see TM 45 NW 10). Finds of earlier date comprised animal bones, oyster shells, a few chips of Roman tile, sherds of Roman pottery, one sherd of the pagan Saxon period; and a group of stones perhaps a hearth, included part of a quern of Rhenish lava and a stone Cresset lamp. <29> Thus there are three places that could claim to be Icanho, excluding Boston in Lincolnshire which now seems to be out of the running (Whitelock et al. 1961, 20): Hadstock, Grundisburgh/Burgh, and Iken. Hadstock and Grundisburgh/Burgh both have dedications to St. Botolph and both have twelfth-century documents to back their claims. Iken however has similarity of name, the right topographical situation and location in the East Anglian Kingdom, a dedication to St. Botolph and the suggestive grant of the manor of Sudbourne, including Iken, to St Aethelwold, who was also granted the remains of St. Botolph; taken altogether these pieces of evidence argue strongly that St. Botolph's monastery was situated at Iken in Suffolk. <30> 1978. Field survey. St Botolph's Church (name confirmed) is generally as described by the previous authorities and the attached guide. The excavations, (still partly exposed) have been concluded. See photographs of north door and base of crossing pier. A random scatter of probably Roman brick can be seen in the lower courses of the tower. <31> The investigations during restoration of the tower showed it to be a late Medieval addition to the Anglo-Saxon nave, replacing all earlier fabric at the west end, and making extensive re-use of earlier materials. <32> See TQ 89 SE 1 for a discussion of the controversy over Ashdon/Ashington as the site of the battle between Canute and Edmund and of Canute's "mynster" to commemorate his victory. The Anglo Saxon Chronicle distinctly states that Canute went to Assington itself to erect his minster, and not to a place nearby, as in the proposed case of Ashdon/ Hadstock. <33> Full description of the Saxon doorway in the north side of the nave, and the arch opening to the south porticus, which are more firmly dated to 1030-1050. <34> Additional bibliography. <35> <38>