Church of St Clement (EHER 5025)

Parish Church of St Clement stands in the SE corner of the parish on the N bank of the Thames. The walls are of flint and ragstone-rubble with dressings of Reigate stone; parts of the tower are of brick; the roofs are tiled. The church is of particular interest as one of few churches in the country that are known to have had a circular nave.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import. (TQ 59317730). St Clement's Church, West Thurrock, declared redundant on June 1st, 1977. About 1906 the remains of circular foundations were found under the existing square tower. <1> <2> Parish Church of St Clement stands in the SE corner of the parish on the N bank of the Thames. The walls are of flint and ragstone-rubble with dressings of Reigate stone; parts of the tower are of brick; the roofs are tiled. The 12th century church, as shown by excavation in 1912, consisted of an aisles chancel (conterminous with the later nave) a round nave and a W porch. The North and South Aisles were begun around 1200, the arcades being a little later in date. In the middle of the 13th century a Chancel with North and South Chapels was built to the E of the pre-existing chancel, which was then converted into part of the nave in the 14th century the arcades between the chancel and N and S chapels were rebuilt and the S chapel was lengthened. The rebuilding of the chancel-arch followed, and the aisle walls of the nave appear to have been raised about the same time. The circular nave was taken down late in the 15th century and a massive West Tower built in the centre of it. In 1640 the tower was repaired. The S aisle was repaired in 1711, to which date may be assigned the brick buttresses on the S wall and perhaps the S doorway; the top stage of the tower was added or rebuilt in the 18th century. The S chapel which is now used as a vestry, was rebuilt late in the 18th century or early in the 19th century, and the E wall of the chancel was largely reconstructed during a recent restoration.<3> The circular nave was taken down late in the 15th century and the west tower built in the centre of it. Windows are of 13th century, 14th century. Doorways: around 1200, 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. There is an indent possibly of around 1315, a 13th century coffin and 13th century coffin lids, late 15th century doors, a 15th century font, stained glass of the 13th-14th centuries, piscinae of the 13th century and early 14th century, niches of the mid-13th century. Early 14th century tiles are re-set on the north wall. In the north aisle a crowned head is 14th century. <4> 3 bells date to 1632, there are brasses of 1584 and 1591 The communion rails are 17th century, there are 17th century floor-slabs and panelling, the plate includes a cup of 1564. SEX356 The church is of particular interest as one of few churches in the country that are known to have had a circular nave. <3> Roman bricks were used in the construction of the round church and fragments of Roman brick adorned the font base. Roof and roof-tile fragments were found in many later contexts. <5> <5> states There was a church in West Thurrock by the late 11th century. Its location isn't known, but it was probably on the site of the present church. Any trace of an earlier wooden church would have been destroyed by later building and grave-digging. Graves sealed by the font base may indicate an earlier cemetery on the site (the font base was almost certainly an original feature of the round church) Church of St Clement. Grade I. <4> In 1979 excavations took place at St Clement's Church, West Thurrock in advance of its conversion to a youth training centre. The phasing was as follows:- Pre-phase 1. Evidence in the form of graves sealed by the Font base suggest the existence of an earlier church. Phase 1. The Round Church (early C12th). A circular nave and rectangular chancel formed the original two-celled masonry church. Phase 2. (c.1200) North and south aisles added. Phase 3. (Early mid-C13th) A new chancel was constructed to the east of the original one, which became the nave. Phase 4. (Late mid-C13th) North and south chapels added c.1250. Chancel extended east. Phase 5. (C14th) Early in the C14th most of the north and south walls of the chancel were demolished and replaced with arcades. Phase 6. (Late C15th) The circular nave was demolished and a massive tower built in its stead. Phase 7. (Modern) The south chapel was rebuilt in c.1800 and other alterations took place. <6> After redundancy the church was to be turned into a workshop as part of the Youth Opportunities Programme. Excavation in advance of this by ECC Archaeology Section in 1979. The church is sited on what may once have been an island in the river. Close by was a crossing said to have been used by medieval pilgrims to Canterbury. A circular structure had been found in 1906, prompting an excavation by the Morant Club in 1912, demonstrating that an earlier church had existed with a circular nave and a rectangular chancel. A 12th century date was suggested for its construction. The 1979 excavations aimed to confirm these discoveries and to date them. In all, 16 trenches were excavated. They located the circular nave, the base of a font, a floor level (both the latter sealed 2 graves), the original chancel (contemporary with the round nave), the present chancel wall base (butted onto the original chancel), the east wall of the 13th century chapel. There was much medieval grave disturbance in all trenches. Graves sealed by the font base seem to indicate an earlier cemetery but traces of any earlier wooden church have probably been destroyed. The 1st phase comprised the round church and rectangular chancel, dating to the 12th century by analogy with other churches. In around 1200-early 13th century, the north and south aisles were added with north and south arcades. In phase 3-early to mid 13th century-a new chancel was built. The former chancel was now the nave and the circular nave was probably still used as a baptistery. In phase 4-mid to late 13th century-the north and south chapels were added. None of the original south chapel remains though a wall 'almost certainly' is its east end. The chancel was extended in this phase. In phase 5, early in the 14th century, most of the chancel north and south walls were replaced with arcades. The remaining north wall of the original chancel was removed and rebuilt. A doorway (apparently 13th century) was incorporated with the east end of the arcade. Tiles of the Wessex school were brought to the church at this time and windows replaced. Late in the 14th century the chancel arch was replaced and the nave walls were raised. The west tower was added in the late 15th century. One fragment of medieval pottery was found in a stratified context, probably is not earlier than around 1100. Fragments of 31 tiles, of the Wessex school, the designs copying Wessex designs of around 1260-1280. Fragments of 33 large tiles of Flemish type from at least two sources and two contemporary local copies. Such tiles were in use in East Anglia in the 15th-early 16th centuries. Peg tile fragments (residual) were found in 15th century and modern contexts. Two fragments of brown stained window glass of the 13th or 14th centuries also found. <4> <6> Building inspection in 1986 <7> Evaluation, 1999 In October 1999 a T-shaped trench was excavated across the car park to the west of the church building. A modern overburden 0.7m thick on average was removed. Underlying this layer was a dark grey silt but no archaeological features or finds were found. Four small 1x2m holes were excavated by hand to the south of the church. These were excavated to a depth of 0.5m but only modern deposits were found. <8> Photographs <9> - <17> Additional references. <18> - <26>