Church of St Margaret, Woodham Mortimer (EHER 7844)

A 19th century parish church which preserves a 12th century wall, the south wall of the nave, from an original 12th century church on the site. The church walls are built from freestone and septaria, with limestone dressings and brick buttresses. The roofs are covered in red plain tile. The building is mostly 19th century, but does retain two 12th century features and some 15th/16th and 17th century internal components.

Monument description derived from merging with EHER 7845 and EHER 39068: December 1959. Grade II listed. A 19th century parish church which preserves a 12th century wall, the south wall of the nave, from an original 12th century church on the site. The north aisle, north chapel, south porch and bell turret are 19th century additions. The church walls are built from freestone and septaria, with limestone dressings and brick buttresses. The roofs are covered in red plain tile. The north chapel roof is gabled and the building has a crenelated flat roofed north extension. Internally, the ceiled vaulted roof is 19th century and the nave and chancel have moulded and crenelated wall plates. Many of the internal features of 19th century, and include iron supports to a circular timber altar rail, late 19th century stained glass in most windows, and a polygonal carved wooden pulpit re-using some earlier panels. There are coloured tiles in the sanctuary floor, and wood block floors elsewhere. There is a 12th century round head rear arch and splay in the window to the west of the south door and these two features are the only visible evidence of the original 12th century church. The monuments include a slab against the north vestry wall to Nathaniel Smith M.A. 1693; and wall monuments to Rev. Nicholas Griffen Hoofe M.A. 1789, James Wright 1795, Edward Codd 1786. The font is probably 15th/16th century. In the western arch of the north aisle is a bell from Hazeleigh Old Church, 'Thos. Means of London Fecit 1793'. There is said to be a brass in the chancel of Dorothy, Daughter of Giles Alleine 1584, comprising a figure with head missing, and inscription beginning 'A Little Impe Is Buried Here and a shield-of-arms'. <1> See photos <2>. The medieval church has been entirely rebuilt apart from part of the nave south wall, which is early 12th century. The church walls are mainly septaria with some reused freestone in the rubble, and the dressings are limestone. The north chapel, vestry, north aisle and south porch are entirely 'modern'. The 'modern' chancel incorporates a 15th century window. Further west are reset splays and the rear-arch of a restored 14th century window. The nave south wall includes part of the reset splays of a 14th or 15th century window. The 12th century part of this wall is further west. It includes the south doorway which is 'modern' externally but has a round 12th century rear arch with the remains of red colour on the plastered soffit. A much restored round-headed 12th century window is further west. The west wall of the nave includes reset splays of a 14th century window. The font stem and base are late 15th century, the bowl is earlier. The piscina in the chancel is 'modern' with a drain of a 12th century pillar piscina. There is a 15th century uninscribed bell. There are three bells and two are 17th century. There is brass in the chancel of 1584. The communion table is early 17th century. There is a floor slab in the chancel of 1693. Early 17th century panelling is incorporated in the pulpit and organ-case. The plate includes a cup with no marks, but of which the stem is Elizabethan, and a bowl of probably later date. <3> <4> <5> It is 19th century apart from the south wall of the nave. <4> Mostly 19th century. 18th century wall monuments. Table tomb of 1683, around 7m NE of NE corner of north vestry is listed, see EHER 39069. <5> An aerial photograph in the EHER shows the church. <6> St Margaret's Church [NAT]. <7> See also <8> <9>. Site Assessment: In good condition, but mostly rebuilt. <3> Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import.