St Mary's Church, Corringham (EHER 7097)

St Mary's Church, Corringham has 11th century work in the south walls of both the nave and chancel. The thickness of these walls favours a pre-Conquest date of origin.

Monument description derived from merging EHER 7097, 7098, 7099, and 35184. Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Church of St Mary. Grade I. <1> Church walls are ragstone rubble and flint with dressings of Reigate and other limestone. The roofs are tiled. The south walls of the chancel and nave are 11th century, their thickness favouring a pre- rather than a post-conquest date. The west tower is a late 11th century addition, partly on the earlier nave west wall. In the early 14th century a north chapel and north aisle were added and the chancel was extended eastwards in this century and its walls were heightened. Features and fittings include: late 11th, 14th, and 15th century windows; two 14th century doorways; 15th century timbers in the roof; brasses in chancel of about 1340, 1460, 1453 (inscription alone), in north chapel of 1464 (inscription alone); indents in north chapel - 14th century and another with indent of figure and inscription; medieval chest in north chapel; stained glass including 14th century (possibly) dragon (photo in RCHM), and two 15th century angels; 15th century north chapel panelling incorporated in a bench in the nave 14th century piscina; early 14th century screen in north chapel; 14th or 15th century stoup in nave; the keystone on the east side of the tower arch is carved with a small head; a corbel or bracket in ogee form is reset in the north respond of the chancel arch; there are old stones in the churchyard wall which has a weathered coping. Features and fittings include: a brass in the north chapel of about 1595 (inscription alone); 17th century chest in north chapel; plate includes 17th century (altered) cup dated 1685 and cover paten dated 1684; 17th century scratched initials on medieval north chapel screen. <2> The unbuttressed tower has two tiers of large flat blank niches below the parapet. The middle one on each side is pierced, serving as a bell-opening. The whole is in its severity and clarity extremely impressive. The screen is an early example of timber-screen in the county, first half of the 14th century. Church restored by Gilbert Scott in 1843-44, to which date belongs the chancel east window. <3> The tower is one of the most important Early Norman monuments in the county. Otherwise mainly 14th century restored. <4> In the 17th century the chancel arch fell. The church was restored in 'modern' times when the chancel arch and part of the nave south wall were rebuilt and the north vestry and south porch were added. <5> Two photos of tower. <6> 1983. Field visit. Church walls are ragstone rubble and flint with Reigate and other limestone dressings. The south walls of the nave and chancel are 11th century and their thickness indicates a pre-Conquest date (north wall of chancel and its north west corner are indicated as similar on plan in RCHM). The lower part of the western half of the chancel south wall is of roughly coursed herringbone rubble and may be pre-Conquest. The late 11th century west tower partly stands on the earlier, nave west wall. Church in good condition when visited in 1983. <7> See also: <8> <9>