Church of St Mary (EHER 3193)

Parish church originating in the 12th century with many later additions and alterations. The walls are of very regularly coursed iron puddingstone, largely laid herring-bone wise and of small stones. Archaeological work in 1986 in advance of construction of a parish room adjacent to the south wall of the church uncovered the building foundations. The tower was used as a home guard observation post during the Second World War.

A 12th century parish church. <2> records that the church is a very complete example of careful 12th-century building. It stands in the village. The walls are of very regularly coursed iron puddingstone, largely laid herring-bone wise and of small stones; there are some courses of septaria; the quoins and dressings of the doorways are of Barnack stone, but the original windows have puddingstone jambs and heads. The extension of the chancel contains a larger proportion of septaria. The tower is of the same materials with much brick and a certain amount of water-worn granite, trap and other igneous stones. The roofs are tiled. The chancel and nave are of around 1130-1140. The chancel was extended toward the E probably in the 14th century. Later in the same century the W tower was added. The N porch was built in the 14th to 15th century. The church was restored in the 19th to 20th century; the chancel arch is modern, and the N porch mostly rebuilt." Features and fittings include: 12th,13th, 14th, and 15th century windows; 12th century north and south doorways; 14th century W doorway; early 15th century nave roof; 15th century roof plates in chancel roof (being opened out in 1921); 13th century coffin lid in nave; 15th century font; late 14th century niches in chancel late 13th century to early 14th century floor tiles in chancel; 14th century piscina in chancel, 15th century piscina in nave; recess for former stoup in nave, W of S doorway. RCHM has photo of south elevation of church showing original masonry and south doorway. <2> <3> Medieval tiles, of around 1300, that were originally before the altar, are now mounted at the back of the church. <1> <2> There is a 13th century coffin lid set in the nave floor and a series of rare 16th century inlaid tiles which are disintegrating rapidly. The north and south doorways are fine Norman works, and the south door is of similar date itself; clearly this was once the main entrance (a porch has been removed) though it makes no sense in the present arrangements. Graded AIIb by Rodwell. <4> The chancel roof is dated to the 15th century. <5> See TM12-125, EHER 3187 for adjacent cropmarks. Church is visible on aerial photographs in SMR> <6> A number of medieval floor tiles were lifted from the church in around 1982 because of their worn condition <10>. Six are displayed in a case at the west end of the church, two are kept in the vestry. RCHM recorded 9 tiles. Their technique of manufacture seems somewhat unusual and is discussed in this source. <7> The herringbone work coursed in ironstone is especially noteworthy although incompetent pointing has ruined parts of it. Ground is cut down and landscaped against the north wall, presumably with some archaeological damage. Interior is more problematic, it has been refloored, but with no damp-proof membrane apparently, with serious results. If the floors were not dug out but just re-laid little archaeological damage was probably committed. Church seems to be a one-build Norman building, but it would be valuable to check that doorways are contemporary with the wall fabric. <7> <8> photo reference of modern church hall A site visit was made in 1982 to inspect a buried vault at the east end of the chancel prior to its partial demolition and lowering of ground level. The vault consisted of a post medieval plain brick burial vault built up against the external face of the east end. It is detailed separately in EHER 7261 <10><11> Archaeological work in 1986 in advance of construction of a parish room adjacent to the south wall of the church involved digging part of the foundation trenches by hand and the carrying out of a watching brief. The Norman church was found to have offset foundations of conglomerate or puddingstone, like the wall above, laid herringbone. Above the foundations but below the existing ground level the wall was rendered suggesting that the entire church was rendered originally and the masonry concealed from view. Abutting the south wall and enclosing the Romanesque south doorway were foundations of a brick structure with stone dressings and a brick floor. The bricks were Tudor and the structure, a porch or possibly a vestry, may be dated approximately to the 16th century. Finds included pottery (none earlier than 13th century), mostly sandy grey wares and a few fragments of late medieval or just post medieval window glass. Evidence was found for an east-west ditch to the south, probably the former churchyard boundary prior to extension in 1876. <12> <13> <14> Church tower use during the Second World War St Mary’s Church stands on the W side of Bentley Green with a high tower commanding the village and surrounding area. It was clearly used as an Observation Post during World War Two for the local Home Guard. <15> Contemporary records state, “Wiring along W. boundary of churchyard & O.P. in Tower. The Churchyard and Tower at St Mary’s Church.” <1> The date of the entry is the 15th of July 1941. <15> In November 2017, Clacton VCH Group were allowed to mount the tower via the narrow, winding, stone staircase. From the top, its value as a look-out position was very apparent. <16> Additional references <17> <18>